Prescott LIVING Late Summer 2026

LUXURY IS STANDARD Your

Land, Your Vision – Our Expertise

When it’s your time to make your dream come true, turn to the builder who takes it personally and makes it happen. Whether you’re looking to build on your land or explore our exclusive home-lot packages, our award-winning team is here to make your dream home a reality.

Prescott’s Hometown Builder for more than 35 years.

Fri, Aug 28

THE WAIT IS OVER… THE 2026 – 2027 SEASON HAS ARRIVED

BILL BLAGG: FAMILY MAGIC

Sat, Sep 26 $40 (Youth $11)

Thu, Oct 8 $64

JAY PHAROAH GUYSANDDOLLS

Nov 6-8 & 13-15 $40 (Youth $11)

HANDEL’S MESSIAH

Dec 5 & 6 $34 (Youth $11)

GENTRI CHRISTMAS

Fri, Jan 15

Sat, Jan 23

Fri, Jan 29

Thu, Feb 4

Fri, Feb 5

Sat, Feb 27

Sat, Mar 6

WAYNE NEWTON: MEMORIES AND MELODIES

DORSTEN (CABARET) AN EVENING WITH THE TEXAS TENORS

COLIN MOCHRIE & ASAD MECCI: HYPROV – IMPROV UNDER HYPNOSIS

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO

BALLET VICTORIA: ALICEINWONDERLAND

Thu, Dec 17 $64 (Youth $11)

IRELANDROCKS! CINDERELLA $64 Ticket Prices Starting At Event Date

(Youth $11)

(Youth $11)

Apr 9-11 & 16-18 $40 (Youth $11) I LOVE THE 80’S

Contents August/September

Advertiser Index

Prescott LIVING magazine brings you the people, events and stories that make life in the Greater Prescott area so special. If you enjoy staying connected to our community, you will love having each issue delivered directly to your mailbox.

prescottlivingmag

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PUBLISHER/CEO

Barbara Krause

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Laurie Fisher

SALES & MARKETING

Laurie Fisher

Vice President of Sales & Marketing

PRODUCTION & DESIGN

Michele Rodriguez

Creative Director

Abigail Biegert

Art Director

Keith Dobie

Social Media Coordinator

Shannon Price

Digital Media Specialist

EDITORIAL

Julie Turetzky

Editorial Director

Christia Gibbons Senior Writer

Blake Herzog Staff Writer, Prescott Pioneer Writer

ACCOUNTING

Nadine Seitz

OPERATIONS

Terry Scheib

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Administrative Assistant, Distribution Associate

COMMENTS & IDEAS

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THESE WOMEN Make Our World go ‘ Round

Every year we’re honored to show off the Women in Business and Leadership who bring guidance, acumen, inspiration and solutions to our daily lives.

From entrepreneurs starting and running successful businesses to residents taking on the mantle of public office to women driven by the love of their communities, we bring peeks at who is making things happen.

Meet Cheryl Rolland in our featured in-depth interview. Her specialty is developing relationships in her leadership role as Vice President and Manager for one of Pinnacle Bank’s two Prescott branches. She’s also a longtime mentor of women.

Don’t miss the introduction of our special Women in Business and Leadership section and meet Lucy Leyva, owner of Prescott Maid to Order, Sedona Maid to Order, MTO Janitorial, Prescott Property Maintenance and the Warehouse event center. She says “study your environment and see what’s needed.”

Learn about Kim Blumstein, a self-taught baker and cake decorator who now makes about 500 cakes a year, including roughly 100 wedding cakes. “I think one of the most vital things that I learned years ago was that people love a product, absolutely, but they’re most interested in you as a business owner, you are the seller of your business.”

Then there’s Christine Hardin who was a legal secretary for years before following her heart and creating Niche Design Co., a business specializing in home design. “Seven years in, it’s like all I want to do. As soon as I started, I was like, yes, this is where I’m meant to be. And I just felt a light switched on, and I was in my place, my niche.”

Take a dive into the mini biographies to learn more about the fascinating females of our communities.

This issue also reveals the hidden gems of outdoor recreation you might not have considered, the exercise benefits of paddleboarding and kayaking, and a guy who offers book binding and a sip of wine.

Check out the improvements to Beneful Dream Dog Park in Prescott’s Willow Creek Park and what went into them.

Mark your calendars for two events coming to Sharlot Hall Museum. The 28th annual Prescott Indian Art Market will be the weekend of Sept. 19 and 20. The next month, the 42nd Folk Music Festival returns Oct. 3, with a special limitedseating private concert with the beloved national group The Folk Legacy Trio the night before.

Laurie Fisher

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, Prescott LIVING

VOICES of the COMMUNITY

At Prescott LIVING magazine, our slogan is “The Voice of the Community” because we believe the stories in our local region are best told by the people, companies, nonprofits and organizations that comprise our community. Here are the “voices” who helped make this issue possible!

BY BLAKE HERZOG, PHOTOS BY BLUSHING CACTUS PHOTOGRAPHY

the INTERVIEW Cheryl Rolland

Cheryl Rolland, 50, fulfills her passion for forging personal relationships and uplifting people in banking and finance, which may seem like an unlikely field. But by dealing with her clients’ money she is privy to the most intimate details of their lives and businesses and is in a unique position to make suggestions that could enrich their lives.

She grew up in the White Mountains until her family relocated to Prescott Valley while she was in high school. She eventually fell in love with the area, along with the

banking industry, and raised her three children here while advancing through the ranks of management.

Today she’s spent almost 30 years in the industry and taken on a leadership role as Vice President, Regional Sales Manager and and Manager for one of Pinnacle Bank’s two Prescott branches. She also takes any opportunity she can to mentor women as they build their careers and donates her time to several nonprofits including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Arizona.

Prescott LIVING: Our interview for this year’s Women in Business and Leadership issue is Cheryl Rolland, who is Vice President, Branch Manager and Business Development Officer for Pinnacle Bank in Prescott. Can you start out by telling us a little bit about where you grew up and went to school?

Cheryl Rolland: I grew up in St. Johns in the White Mountains, and we moved my senior year of high school to Prescott Valley, and I felt like it was the worst decision ever. But it actually helped me get out of my shell because I grew up in this little tiny town and really felt so safe and secure and there’s this big giant world out there. It helped me learn how to meet new people, make new friends, have conversations with people and really listen to people, where I don’t think I had that skill before. My parents moved for a job opportunity and in hindsight, I’m thankful they did.

I graduated from Bradshaw Mountain High School and went to Northern Arizona University, originally to become a physical therapist. In 1997 while I was in school, I got a job as a check filer. You may remember when people used to get the checks that they wrote back in the mail. I filed them in the statements, back in the

day. I took that job just for income, but I decided to jump into banking full force.

Prescott LIVING: What drew you to banking over physical therapy?

Cheryl: I just fell in love with banking and the people. I think there’s so much vulnerability in banking and that there has to be a lot of trust for someone to share things about their finances. The part that I really loved was that trust and the relationships that were being built. And I thought, man, I will get this in physical therapy, but once they’re done, they’re going to be gone unless they get hurt again, which I don’t ever want for anybody.

I started at Country Bank who got bought by National Bank of AZ as a check filer, worked my way into teller, personal banker, operations manager, mortgage officer, branch manager, private banking, just working my way through the different areas that the bank offers and always learning. Even in a career that you’ve been in for 20 years, 30 years, there is always something new to learn.

I just kept learning and trying new things and was like, great, let’s do this. It was really nice to have people see the things that by nature I did well, and then support and nurture them. That’s my hope, to

be able to find the things that people do well and to nurture them, and that way they can also have that same movement and progression through their career too.

Prescott LIVING: So do you consider yourself a numbers person?

Cheryl: 100%. I joke that I’m kind of like Rain Man because I remember numbers and codes and digits, and it’s crazy. I still remember some of my very first clients’ account numbers from 25-plus years ago. It’s kind of weird how my brain works, but it’s very numbers driven.

Prescott LIVING: We talked a little bit already about moving your way up at National Bank of Arizona over the course of almost 19 years. Where did you then go?

Cheryl: I went to another smaller institution right after National Bank of Arizona. That was a very short stint, and it just wasn’t a great fit for me. There was an opening for a regional manager at Country Bank, so I went over there and loved that institution, but they were bought by another institution, and I ended up coming here to Pinnacle. But there is always

something to learn from every place we go, even if it’s a one- or two-year stint.

Prescott LIVING: And so what has really worked for you at Pinnacle Bank?

Cheryl: I think one of the things that I love the most is it’s family owned and operated, and the family that owns it is very community focused. They’re very much about allowing you to do what’s right for your community. They allow Scottsdale to operate how they see fit for a metro market and Prescott to operate how they see fit for a community market. I knew the people that I was going to be working with were great people. I had worked with Greg Behn, who’s our regional president, and Brad Wright, our market president, in the past, and knowing those two people were involved, I was like, yes, let’s do this thing.

We were the first branch in Arizona, and they said, we want you to run operations, go get it started and get people hired, and we’re going to start putting branches together. And from there, it just grew. It was Brad and I and a loan processor, Kendra Kirk. We had a building with four walls and no desks, where we put a fold-up table out with a computer on it. It was crazy to think how we started. And in six years we’re here already.

Prescott LIVING: How many branches are there now in Arizona?

Cheryl: There are five right now. We’ve got Prescott Downtown and Prescott Frontier, we have Sedona, Flagstaff and Scottsdale, and one opening soon in the West Valley. Pinnacle Bank was founded in Nebraska and has branches there and in Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Wyoming.

Prescott LIVING: Can you tell us a little bit about the three roles behind your job titles at Pinnacle — vice president, regional sales manager and business development officer?

Cheryl: The VP role is based on knowledge and years in the industry. The main role that I have currently, which is business

development and regional sales manager kind of tied together, is going out and developing new relationships and pouring into existing relationships. This means having some of the hard discussions that have to happen like, ‘The numbers are looking tough this year. What’s the plan? Let’s come up with one and pull in partners that you may need.’

It’s also going out and talking about who we are as a bank. We really go back to the old way of banking. Instead of saying to a customer, here’s our three products, which one do you want? Well, sometimes they don’t know, right? And so I think being able to have a dialogue with our community and to figure out what best suits them is something we do really well. I get the opportunity to train other people who are coming up in their careers on how to ask the right questions, how to build trust, and how to follow through with what you say you’re going to do.

I also sell treasury management products, which help businesses manage their cash flow with our ACH origination, our online wires, our remote capture system and other services. I talk to businesses about how to set up their suite of products and what they need and don’t need. If you come in and give us your idea, we come back with a picture of what we think you might want.

That’s what I get to do on the banking side: I say, ‘Tell me all your dreams, your visions, your goals, what you love, what you hate, and then let me create something for you.’ And creating their financial portfolio to look exactly how they want it, is what I get to do every day. I also train people how to do that. Even when the hard things happen where somebody’s like, gosh, this didn’t go well, taking ownership for what maybe didn’t go well, and then fixing it, offers me such job satisfaction

I’m in charge of the deposit growth in our branches across the state, making sure each branch is hitting the numbers they need to hit. We are not a sales-driven culture, but I think we really focus on that specific job of sales by creating strong relationships. We find out where each branch’s

sweet spot is and focus on that to help each location succeed.

But there are those few who you work with that just feel like family. Maybe more than a few. They come to you for all the things that are and are not related to banking.

Prescott LIVING: This will be a difficult number to come up with, but how many clients, approximately, have you worked with over the years?

Cheryl: Oh, I would just say thousands and thousands of clients. So many. But there are those few who you work with that just feel like family. Maybe more than a few. They come to you for all the things that are and are not related to banking.

I think dropping off dinner at a customer’s door who just had hip surgery is something that you don’t see banks doing. We had a customer who just lost his sister, and we were able to support him during that tough time. People share things like this with us, and being able to send flowers and a card to clients to just say, hey, we’re thinking of you, brings so much joy. I love being able to just love on people.

Prescott LIVING: Do you like to mentor other women working to succeed and take on leadership roles in the business sector?

Cheryl: I love doing that, helping people understand what their skillset is and what they do well by nature, and be able to say ‘you do this really well, and let’s help steer you in this direction and coach and give you the tools for that.’ I think the struggle that we run into in day-to-day business is that we don’t get the time to sit with our own people as frequently as we would like. We get to pour into them in drips throughout the day, like, ‘Oh yeah, good thinking on that.’ ‘Here’s how that would look.’ Or, ‘That was really perfect. Don’t change anything.’

With our teams, it takes dedication because we have to set that time aside once a month at least, to sit with our team and say, OK, where are we at? How can we pour into you?

Early in my banking career, banking was very male-dominated in the higher positions. Women had positions like tellers and personal bankers, and they

were the front line. So it was often me inside a room with a bunch of men and having to speak your thoughts in a professional, considerate, yet assertive, strong manner that is a skillset that’s really hard to learn on your own, and sometimes you fail and sometimes you succeed.

I would love for women, especially those in male-dominated industries, to be able to learn some of those skill sets. I go sit with women and just have coffee or wine or lunch, and we talk about business. What are you dealing with? What am I dealing with? How do we get through this? What are some strengths? There’s a community of people in our town that I just call and meet with just to help them have a space where they feel heard, I feel heard and we feel like we can move forward.

Prescott LIVING: I saw that you made a presentation in May for the Prescott

Valley Chamber of Commerce, a Women in Business workshop.

Cheryl: I think women in business struggle with trying to balance everything; being the mom, being the wife, being the worker, being the boss. Women are usually the ones making the doctor appointments for the kids, planning the dinners for the families, doing the shopping, paying the bills. I think we need to remember that we’re under a lot of stress and need to manage that the best we can by having friends, partners and people we can talk to, share with, and go through battle with.

We need to be able to look back on what we’ve gone through and say, gosh, I made it through that. I can make it through this. Pick people who are safe that you can communicate with, that you can share things with.

Sitting as a judge at Dancing for the Stars in 2021. Cheryl is a former Boys & Girls Club Board chair and has been involved with DFTS since its inaugural year.

Prescott LIVING: What’s your advice for women trying to learn how to project themselves more authoritatively at meetings and in discussions?

Cheryl: I think a lot of times we don’t speak up because we think they’re not going to like what we have to say, or it’s just me, it’s just my idea. We need to remember the value we bring to the table — we are smart, we do have good ideas, we have a lot of things that we can put out there that maybe someone else hasn’t thought of. But I think the biggest thing is understanding your why behind what you say.

So if you come up with an idea you better have a reason why, be able to stand behind why you think it’s a good plan and you better have a backup plan.

Prescott LIVING: Absolutely. And in addition to mentoring women in business, you’ve been very involved with the community over the years, especially with the Boys & Girls Club. Are you still the board chair?

Cheryl: I am the treasurer now. I do a

lot for nonprofits. I work with Boys and Girls Club, Home for Good Foundation and the Prescott Police Foundation. I’m a committee member for Prescott Women Who Care. I’m on so many, I can’t even think of all of them right now. But I think, again, it speaks to my heart for people, just connecting with our community, connecting in any way that we can help.

But the Boys and Girls Club has been near and dear to my heart. I’ve volunteered there for the last 10 years, and it’s something we as the bank have supported for many years. It’s very tough to have some of these kids that need the clubs not able to afford to go. So being able to have a safe space for those kids to go to after school or during the summer is really important.

We’re creating a space for those kids to have a place to grow and to learn. They do archery, biking trips, field trips to different museums and different adventures outside, and they go to Goldwater Lake and fish, and there’s just so much they learned in that space. Creating those experiences for those kids is just amazing.

I think they’ve got a good group of people who are really helping create

experiences for kids that are not only memories that they’re creating, but also they’re giving them life skills. Like, did you pack water for your hike? Things that they maybe wouldn’t know.

Prescott LIVING: You’ve already listed some of the other nonprofits that you’re involved with. Like you stated, it sounds like you stay busy.

Cheryl: I just love helping community and being there to support, love on our community. I think people really want to feel seen in their space. I think there’s a lot of pockets of our community that don’t feel seen. For example, if there’s a way for me to have our dispatch team who takes our 911 calls to feel seen, wow, that’s what I want to do. People don’t remember them all the time, and they pour their heart and soul and hours into their job every day.

Prescott LIVING: And so what else do you like to do in your spare time?

Cheryl: Family and travel. I have three kiddos, a girl, boy, and a girl. And my oldest and middle are both married and I have a grandbaby here in Prescott, and my youngest is going to Grand Canyon University for nursing.

I just love, love, love traveling, spending time with my kids and my grandbaby and family time. My brother, his family, me, all of my kids and their families, will have game nights and dinners and just hang out and laugh. Stories that get told for years to come. I love dancing. I used to be in a bowling league, so I still love bowling. I love exercising. Try to be intentionally active three to five times a week.

The other thing is I went through a cancer scare. I had a double mastectomy, hysterectomy. There were some issues that were going on. I think when that happened, I got to a space of just really saying, I want to do everything I can to: A. pour into other people, and B. stay as healthy as I can and take all the right steps I possibly can to maintain my own health and be here for as long as I can.

Now, even if I’m on a trip, we rent bikes or we go on a hike or there’s something that we’re doing that creates some sort of exercise or activity to stay in that routine.

I used to do plays, and I’m going to actually start doing plays again. I’ve done a few plays with the Prescott Center for the Arts, and I’m going to start doing those again now that all my kids are out of the house.

Prescott LIVING: And what are some of your plans for the future, professionally and personally?

Cheryl : Professionally, I think just to continue doing what I’m doing and continue pouring into people -

whatever the job title is. It doesn’t really matter to me what title that is. Just knowing that I’m able to build relationships with the community, bring new business in and help my team, and help my branches grow, that’s my goal.

And personally, I want to be a support for women in our community who may feel like they forgot their value. Being there to support each other is key. I also want to stay more active — or really, more consistent on my health journey. I still have some tweaking to do; I’m working on cutting out things I shouldn’t be having, like too much sugar in my diet. So continuing on that path, being there for my kids, and taking care of myself so I can show up for my family.

Entrepreneurial Drive puts women leaders on the map

BY BLAKE HERZOG, PHOTOS BY BLUSHING CACTUS PHOTOGRAPHY

Once again it’s time for us to welcome our readers to the Women in Business and Leadership issue, where this woman-led and staffed publication salutes the female leaders and entrepreneurs who have made Greater Prescott a community looked to as a model and/or a future home by people across the state and nation.

The women featured in this year’s Women in Business and Leadership section have found success across the professional world. Many got their start by learning the entrepreneurial skills required to start a business and keep it thriving in the face of competition and shifting economic conditions.

‘STUDY YOUR ENVIRONMENT’

Lucy Leyva, owner of Prescott Maid to Order, Sedona Maid to Order, MTO Janitorial and Prescott Property Maintenance, says the first rule of entrepreneurship is “you have to study your environment and see what’s needed.”

She had never worked for a cleaning company when she launched Prescott Maid to Order in 2005 but quickly learned the value of her service to clients.

Housecleaning help is not the luxury it was once seen as, Leyva says: “I mean, a lot of people, they have no doubt in their minds when they’re hiring a landscaper. But cleaning is like, ‘oh, no, no, no. I’ll do it myself.’ I’ll tell them, it’s a lot of time that you have to spend on cleaning. And there’s companies like mine that can just get it done.”

‘YOU ARE THE SELLER OF YOUR BUSINESS’

Kim Blumstein is a self-taught baker and cake decorator, and she and her then-husband opened Flour Stone Bakery & Cafe in Mayer in 2015, later moving it to Prescott Valley.

Part of her education came from listening to all the speakers she could at bakery conventions held in Las Vegas: “I think one of the most vital things that I learned years ago was

IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF THIS YEAR’S WOMEN IN BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP

Many thanks to the beautiful setting at The

that people love a product, absolutely, but they’re most interested in you as a business owner, you are the seller of your business.”

She pivoted following the pandemic as demand grew for her cakes and operating costs for the cafe soared. She became a state-licensed cottage baker and brought the business home, where she now makes about 500 cakes a year.

‘I’M GOING TO TAKE THIS LEAP AND DO IT’

Christine Hardin spent her Chicago childhood rearranging her room’s furniture and admiring the area’s renowned architecture. Then she grew up, married a homebuilder and became a mom and a lead legal secretary for the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office.

She’d been inching toward home design through her husband’s company by decorating its offices and spec homes, and he began pushing her to start her own firm. “And so after six months, I finally said, OK, I’m going to take this leap and do it,” she says, launching Niche Design Co. in November 2019.

“Seven years in, it’s like all I want to do. As soon as I started, I was like, yes, this is where I’m meant to be.”

Turn the page to learn about these and many more remarkable women; where they started out, their triumphs and struggles along the way and how they’re contributing to the Greater Prescott community. They might inspire you start a new venture of your own!

Women Business

tracy s cheffer

CO-OWNER

B lushing Cactus P hotography

Tracy is the co-owner of Blushing Cactus Photography, a husband-and-wife photography team. Alongside her husband Jeremiah, she has spent the past decade documenting the people, places, and moments that make Prescott, AZ special. Their work includes weddings, concerts, rodeos, football, community events, local businesses, and nonprofit organizations, creating authentic, story-driven images.

While she loves the excitement of large events, some of Tracy’s favorite moments are often the quieter ones. She’s passionate about documentary family photography, where the magic is found in pancake breakfasts, muddy rain boots, family pets, bedtime stories and the beautifully imperfect moments in between. She believes those everyday memories are the ones families will treasure most years from now, and loves turning ordinary moments into artistic photographs that feel as real as the memories themselves.

Tracy also loves giving back to the community she calls home. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Yavapai Family Advocacy Center and regularly donates photography services to local nonprofits. Whether photographing the World’s Oldest Rodeo® or a family at home, her mission is to preserve stories that matter.

928.487.1024 www.blushingcactus.com 243 S. Hardin St. Prescott, AZ 86303

Dawn is a lifelong Arizonan who has proudly called Prescott home for more than 40 years. Raised in a fourth-generation family furniture business, she developed an early appreciation for exceptional design, fine craftsmanship and the value of relationship-driven service.

As owner and president of Joe’s Furniture and the familiar voice behind its advertising, Dawn provides strategic leadership honoring the company’s heritage while driving continued growth and innovation.

Under her direction, the store has strengthened its market presence, refined its brand identity and expanded its design offerings to meet the evolving expectations of a sophisticated clientele. Known for her entrepreneurial spirit, discerning eye for design and commitment to exceptional customer experiences, Dawn has helped position the company as one of Northern Arizona’s premier furniture and design destinations.

She also is committed to community involvement and local philanthropy. Her store is among Prescott’s longest-standing Chamber of Commerce members and has supported numerous charitable organizations throughout its 71-year history.

Dawn’s business acumen and dedication to excellence are reflected in the company’s many accolades, including Arizona Furniture Retailer of the Year, Best of Yavapai and recognition as Prescott's #1 furniture store.

Women Business &

jennifer s wadener

CO-OWNER

Prescott Flooring Brokers

Jennifer has proudly called Prescott home since 2009, building strong roots and lasting relationships through hard work, family and a deep commitment to the community.

Alongside her husband and co-owner Marcus, she operates Prescott Flooring Brokers, a wellrespected business known for its quality workmanship and personalized customer care.

What began as a family-run operation has grown into a lasting legacy, with three of their four children and a son-in-law involved, continuing the values and work ethic they built together.

In 2023, Jennifer expanded the business’s reach by partnering with Daltile, becoming the only Statements dealer in Northern Arizona and the only Karastan partner in the Tri-city area. This milestone reflects her commitment to bringing high-quality, industryleading products to the area.

Above all, Jennifer is a devoted mother and proud grandmother of three, a role she values most. She says she takes pride not only in providing for her family but also in creating opportunities for them to grow and succeed alongside her.

Her leadership style blends experience, integrity and mentorship, earning her respect both within the business and throughout the Prescott community.

Jennifer’s story is one of commitment — to her roots, her family and the business she and Marcus have worked tirelessly to build.

928.445.2544

www.prescottflooringbrokers.com

401 W. Goodwin St. Prescott, AZ 86303

A business owner and community leader, Stacy advocates for responsible firearms education and safety.

As co-owner of Prescott Shooting Range & Gun Club, she is dedicated to creating a welcoming environment where individuals of all experience levels can develop safe firearm handling skills, improve marksmanship and build confidence through professional training.

Previously, Stacy spent nearly three decades in education, where she developed a reputation for leadership, organization and a passion for helping others succeed. Her experience as an educator shaped her commitment to clear communication, practical instruction and fostering an atmosphere where learning is engaging and accessible.

At the range and gun club, Stacy works to expand educational opportunities through concealed carry courses, women’s shooting programs, defensive handgun training, youth and family events, church safety team instruction and community outreach initiatives.

She believes that responsible firearms ownership begins with education, practice and a commitment to the Second Amendment. Stacy also is passionate about strengthening community partnerships, supporting local organizations and promoting a culture of safety, respect and responsibility.

Her vision is to make the range and gun club a trusted destination for training, recreation and community engagement throughout Northern Arizona.

carolina Gomez

SALES CONSULTANT

Findlay Toyota Prescott

Carolina is one of Findlay Toyota Prescott’s top-performing sales professionals. Over the past two years, she has built a reputation for delivering exceptional customer service while consistently achieving outstanding results.

Drawn to the automotive industry by a desire to learn a new skill and challenge herself professionally, Carolina quickly found her passion in helping people navigate the vehiclebuying process with confidence.

While her accomplishments speak for themselves, Carolina is known by coworkers and customers alike for her humility, patience and genuine kindness. Rather than seeking the spotlight, she focuses on building trust, listening to her customers’ needs and creating a positive, stressfree experience.

Her quiet confidence and dedication have helped make her one of the most respected members of the sales team.

A lifelong resident of the Prescott area, Carolina has lived in Chino Valley for 22 years and is the youngest of five children born to immigrant parents. Fluent in both English and Spanish, she enjoys working out, baking, spending time with animals and trying new foods.

She says she hopes to be remembered as someone who is disciplined, dedicated and always willing to help others succeed.

928.443.8300

www.findlaytoyotaprescott.com

3200 Willow Creek Rd.

Prescott, AZ 86301

Leslie says, “Real estate is more than just buying and selling, it’s about people, relationships and life-changing moments.”

Nothing brings her greater joy than handing over the keys to someone’s dream home or helping a client move confidently into their next chapter.

“It’s an honor to work with every client I meet, and I strive to make the process as smooth, rewarding and enjoyable as possible.”

With over nine years of experience as a REALTOR® in Prescott, Leslie is proud to serve the community she loves. She says she’s built a team she trusts like family, people who care deeply, work hard and believe in doing right by every client.

Whether you’re searching for your first home, upgrading, downsizing or investing, Leslie wants to help guide you through every step with care, integrity and a true passion: Delivering luxury living, Western soul!

928.848.0008

behind the scenes

IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF THIS YEAR’S WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Business

cara pfeiffer

OWNER & JEWELRY DESIGNER

Artful Eye Jewelers

For 30 years, Artful Eye Jewelers has been Prescott’s trusted hometown jeweler, located in the heart of Whiskey Row in beautiful downtown Prescott.

Owner Cara says, “As a kid, I loved growing up in Prescott.” She earned a bachelor’s degree in equine science from the University of Arizona and spent several years working for large animal veterinarians. Eventually, she returned to Prescott to join the family business.

Over the years, Cara has immersed herself in the jewelry world — attending trade shows nationwide, learning the intricacies of the industry and becoming a certified diamond grader through the Gemological Institute of America. She eventually purchased Artful Eye Jewelers and has even become a national award-winning jewelry designer. Cara has been with the business for 19 years, and she says, “As a custom jewelry designer, my favorite part of my job is taking old, broken or unwanted jewelry and transforming it into pieces our customers love to wear again.”

Artful Eye Jewelers has been recognized by the community for its excellence, voted Best Jeweler in Prescott by The Daily Courier and Best Jewelry Store in Yavapai County by Prescott LIVING magazine. “Come into the Artful Eye, and I’ll show you why we were named one of America’s coolest stores!”

Kris Venhaus

Kris’ path stretched from rural Minnesota to Palm Springs to single parenthood for 20 years and eventually to store ownership in Prescott.

She landed in Palm Springs, California, working as a nanny. She married at 23, had a daughter at 28 and was divorced by 31. At 32, she went back to college, receiving her bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership from Biola University. Kris worked 20 years in the country club industry.

She married second husband Greg in January 2017. Together they have three children, one grandson and two granddaughters.

They moved to Prescott in 2019, purchasing Amish Home Decor — with no former furniture experience — in April 2022. In May 2024, they started a nonprofit and in June 2025, closed escrow on 160 acres to build Heartland Ranch.

Heartland Ranch will serve children ages 4 to 12 who have experienced trafficking, with a mission to provide a safe, healthy and nurturing environment where healing can begin.

The goal is to help each child rediscover their inherent worth and understand the unique value they hold in this world. This will be achieved through a holistic approach including the arts, gardening, animal care, nutrition and alternative therapies. Today all proceeds from Amish Home Decor go to support Heartland Ranch.

928.277.8267

www.amishfurniturepv.com

www.heartlandranchaz.org

2710 N. Glassford Hill Rd. Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

Women Business

K atie moore

OWNER

Moore Events & Rents, The Venue on Cortez

Katie is the owner of The Venue on Cortez, a beautifully restored historic venue in the heart of downtown Prescott, Arizona. Passionate about creating unforgettable experiences, Katie has dedicated her career to helping people celebrate life’s most meaningful moments in a space that is both timeless and welcoming.

Katie’s journey in the event industry began with Moore Events & Rents, her familyowned event rental company founded in 2019. After years of helping bring weddings, corporate events and celebrations to life throughout Northern Arizona, she fulfilled her dream of opening The Venue on Cortez, where beautiful spaces and exceptional service come together.

As both a venue owner and event professional, Katie offers years of experience in event planning, design, rentals and logistics. The Venue on Cortez hosts weddings, corporate events, holiday parties, bridal and baby showers, rehearsal dinners, celebrations of life, private parties and community gatherings.

As a wife and mother of two daughters, Katie understands the importance of family, connection and creating memories that last a lifetime. She believes every event tells a unique story and is committed to making each celebration feel effortless, personal and unforgettable. Through The Venue on Cortez and Moore Events & Rents, she is proud to continue serving the Prescott community.

928.277.1842

www.mooreeventsandrents.com

621 3rd St. Prescott, AZ 86301

GENERAL MANAGER

McKenzie, General Manager of Watters Garden Center in Prescott, was awarded the prestigious Young Retailer Award by The Garden Center Group. The honor was bestowed upon her at Cultivate ‘24, one of the horticulture industry’s leading trade shows, in Columbus, Ohio.

McKenzie’s innovative approach and leadership distinguish her among her peers, recognizing her as a driving force in the industry and a proud representative of Prescott’s vibrant business community.

As a third-generation leader in her family’s business, McKenzie has distinguished herself by fostering a dynamic retail environment. She launched an intracompany website to enhance staff communication, regularly streams gardening classes for customer education, and has enriched the store’s inventory with a distinct selection of rare and exotic tropical plants.

McKenzie’s passion extends beyond the borders of Watters Garden Center. She weaves the center into the fabric of the Prescott community, empowering residents with gardening knowledge and supporting local job growth.

Her personal commitment to growth is evident in her academic achievements. A licensed family and marriage therapist with a master’s degree from Fuller Seminary, McKenzie leverages her psychological insights to enrich her customer and team interactions, seeing each as an opportunity for growth.

trinity steidin G er

CO-OWNER

Father Daughter Construction

Trinity is a REALTOR® and co-owner of Father Daughter Construction, bringing a blend of real estate knowledge, construction experience and hands-on problem-solving to the Greater Prescott area.

After beginning her career in financial planning, Trinity made a shift into real estate and house flipping. What started as investment properties quickly expanded into residential remodeling for clients.

Trinity helps clients navigate buying, selling, renovating and improving their properties with clarity and confidence. Her background allows her to spot potential issues, recognize value opportunities and guide clients with honest, informed advice.

She believes there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach — every property and every client requires a tailored strategy.

Trinity says she takes pride in being accessible, transparent and personally invested in each transaction.

Outside of her professional work, Trinity is passionate about giving back to the community. For the 2025–2026 school year, she volunteered alongside other local business leaders at Chino Valley High School, helping teach leadership and real-world skills to students preparing for their future.

Whether working with buyers, sellers or remodeling clients, Trinity’s goal is simple: to help people make confident decisions and create long-term value in the place they call home.

Jill has been a dedicated real estate professional since obtaining her Arizona real estate license in 2003. Her extensive experience and commitment to continued education earned her the prestigious Guild Designation from the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing.

As a consistent multimillion-dollar producer, Jill understands the importance of partnering with a knowledgeable professional who can meet the unique needs and lifestyle of luxury homebuyers and sellers.

With over 23 years of real estate experience in Arizona, Jill brings a deep understanding of the local market. In addition to her real estate career, she co-owns Elk Ridge Development LLC with her husband Kevin, a general contracting company specializing in high-end luxury homes featuring rustic influences and custom design elements. Their work includes sourcing distinctive wall and flooring materials from horse ranches and barns in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Having lived and worked in the Prescott area for 18 years, Jill takes great pride in helping clients achieve their real estate goals. Many of her clients have become lifelong friends, reflecting her dedication and genuine care. Jill is passionate about Prescott’s vibrant community and is honored to contribute to its continued growth and success.

928.848.9710

Women Business

loree walden

MARKETING MANAGER

Yavapai Humane Society

Loree has spent the past 7½ years combining her passion for storytelling, community outreach and animal welfare to help advance the Yavapai Humane Society mission of protecting and promoting the health, safety and welfare of companion animals.

Originally from Hawaii, Loree moved to Prescott 16 years ago and never imagined that a career combining her love of writing, storytelling and animals was waiting for her. Previously, she spent more than 25 years working in tax preparation and accounting.

“When I joined YHS, everything came together,” Loree says. “My words became a way to tell stories, inspire action, create connections and give a voice to animals who can’t speak for themselves.”

She credits much of her inspiration to the animals who have shared her life, including her three adopted YHS companions: Cassidy Roo, Tigger and Pooh Bear.

“They are a constant reminder of the incredible bond between people and animals, and why every pet deserves the chance to experience a loving home.”

Loree combines experience, creativity and compassion to help animals and their people.

928.445.2666

www.yavapaihumane.org

1625 Sundog Ranch Rd. Prescott, AZ 86301

laurie, K ristian & t aylor

PERSONAL MORTGAGE ADVISORS

Lawton Scott Team

As Arizona natives, these three serve families in the Quad City area.

Laurie opened her award-winning branch in downtown Prescott in 2006. She is known for service to veterans, public safety and local workforce heroes.

Beyond lending, the Lawton Scott Team and family advocate for “everyday heroes,” supporting such organizations as the 100 Club, Hope Fest and the Navy SEAL Foundation.

Her proudest achievement is sponsoring her fifth year of fundraising with student veterans, kicking off Save the Grenades™ — a fundraiser that donates mammograms to women across Arizona.

Laurie is married to SOC (SEAL) Richard Rodriguez (USN Ret.), Veteran Service Coordinator with Veterans Services at EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University and an Embry-Riddle alumnus. They have seven children.

Kristian has been with the team since 2011, becoming a licensed mortgage professional.

She helps first-time homebuyers secure down payment assistance.

The team serves Arizona, Colorado and California. Kristian is married to Aaron; they call Prescott Valley home.

Taylor, aka Cupcake, is well-known, whether fielding calls or greeting clients. She is a PHS student, member of the Air Force ROTC, and attends MICTED in our community.

Sponsored by Nations Lending, Taylor founded Operation Honor Drop, which collects flags for respectful retirement each fall by the ROTC and Student Veterans at ERAU.

602.329.2950

www.lawtonscott.com 140 N. Montezuma St., Ste. 103 Prescott, AZ 86301

Women Business

shelly crossman

OWNER

Dermatology & Skin Care by Shelly

Shelly is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Dermatology Certified Nurse Practitioner (DCNP) with more than 15 years of experience in dermatology. She combines advanced clinical training with a genuine passion for helping patients feel confident in their skin.

Shelly began her nursing career at St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in Syracuse, New York, before earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Keuka College. Her early experience in oncology, the medical ICU, and SWAT nursing helped shape the calm clinical judgment and compassionate approach she brings to every patient today.

She later earned her Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner from SUNY Upstate Medical University, graduating with honors. Drawn to dermatology for its unique blend of medicine, surgery, pathology, and aesthetics, she went on to earn her Dermatology Certified Nurse Practitioner (DCNP) credential—a distinction that reflects her advanced expertise and deep commitment to the specialty.

Today, Shelly provides comprehensive medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology for adults and children. She believes exceptional dermatologic care goes beyond treating skin conditions— it means educating patients, creating individualized treatment plans, and helping every person leave feeling informed, cared for and confident.

angela walker-weber

ATTORNEY

Walker Estate Attorneys

For over 21 years, Angela has dedicated her practice to helping individuals and families secure their legacies and find peace of mind. She specializes in writing personalized estate plans, including wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, pre-nups and healthcare directives.

Angela understands that estate planning involves sensitive, deeply personal conversations about family, health and finances. She is known for her ability to simplify complex legal concepts, transforming intricate laws into clear, concise actionable plans tailored to each of her client’s needs. Her goal is to prevent future disputes and protect clients’ assets while protecting family harmony.

Before taking ownership of Walker Estate Attorneys (from her dad, Chuck Walker), Angela served on several community Boards (i.e., Salvation Army Advisory Board, United Way Board, Women’s Lawyers Association, AZ Community Foundation, YRMC Foundation, etc.).

When Angela is not in the office, she loves to spend her time with her husband and children where she gets joy in their successes.

Angela believes a great estate plan is more than just paperwork — it is a lasting gift of security the client can leave to their loved ones.

928.445.1911 www.walkerestatelaw.com

3741 Karicio Ln., Ste. 1 Prescott, AZ 86303

christine hardin

& PRINCIPAL

Niche Design Co. was founded by Christine, an award-winning interior designer whose work is rooted in intention, resilience and a deep respect for how people live.

Raised in Chicago and shaped by its architecture, art and cultural richness, Christine developed an early sensitivity to how spaces shape daily life and the quiet power of thoughtful design.

Her path into interior design was unconventional. While working full-time at the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office, Christine began formal interior design coursework, designed residential projects for her husband’s construction company, and, together with her partner, raised four children.

Balancing these roles required discipline, vision and an unwavering belief in what she was building, professionally and personally. This sharpened her leadership, strengthened her technical fluency and grounded her work in clarity and purpose.

In 2019, Christine founded Niche Design Co., transforming years of parallel experience into a purpose-driven studio. Today, she collaborates with clients and custom homebuilders throughout the Prescott area, specializing in new construction and fullhome furnishings.

Through attention to detail, Christine creates spaces that feel refined yet deeply personal, homes designed to endure, inspire and speak to the people who live in them.

928.848.3432

s hauna brown & marci G olden

Marci Golden and Tony Winkelman moved to Prescott in 1982 because they wanted to raise their children in a friendly, small-town environment. After hearing that the insurance business could use someone with the ability to teach senior consumers what they need to know about Medicare, Marci was drawn to the idea.

In 1986, they formed Golden Insurance Services, primarily focusing on Medicarebased health insurance. Marci began with research and educational outreach. Since 1990 she’s taught a noncredit class at Yavapai College to provide information about Medicare coverage.

Shauna Brown grew up in Chino Valley and started working at Golden Insurance in 1998. After working alongside Marci for 29 years, she is carrying Marci’s legacy of consumer education forward. Her long standing relationships with clients reflect the trust she has built.

Marci and Shauna represent two generations of women in business dedicated to helping others navigate important life decisions with confidence. Their story is one of mentorship, longevity and commitment to the community.

nancy

d

e w itt

CO-OWNER Patriot Pest & Termite Control

From a young age, Nancy was encouraged by her parents to pursue an entrepreneurial path. Growing up on a small farm in central Illinois, she learned the value of hard work, integrity, and doing the right thing—principles that have guided her throughout her career.

After relocating to Arizona, Nancy turned her passion for leadership and business ownership into a successful career, leading and growing multiple ventures over the years. Although she never imagined she would one day own a pest control company, she quickly discovered the meaningful impact the industry has on people’s lives.

“In all my years, I never imagined that I would own a pest control business, but it has been one of the most rewarding industries I’ve been a part of. There’s nothing glamorous about pest control, and the industry often carries a stigma. But what we do every day is protect families, their homes, and their peace of mind. Our clients and our community are incredibly important to us, and when we have the opportunity to lend a helping hand, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

Today, while Nancy no longer oversees the company’s day-to-day operations, she remains proud of the legacy she helped build. This new chapter has given her the opportunity to focus on her next adventure, and she is excited to explore new opportunities where she can continue making a positive impact through leadership, entrepreneurship, and service.

928.443.1566

E d D, LPC, AADC

OWNER

Mended and Whole Counseling, LLC

A Prescott native and licensed professional counselor, Kimberly is the founder of Mended and Whole Counseling, a private practice dedicated to traumainformed, faith-integrated care. She provides inperson services in the Prescott area as well as virtual counseling across Arizona, specializing in trauma, addiction and whole-person healing.

She earned two bachelor’s degrees in 2016 and a master’s degree in addiction counseling in 2018 from Liberty University. She completed her Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling with an emphasis in traumatology in 2025, further strengthening her expertise in treating complex trauma, PTSD and substance use disorders.

With nearly a decade of experience in foster and adoptive services, along with extensive work in substance use treatment centers, Kimberly brings a compassionate and well-rounded approach to care. She is passionate about helping teens, adults and seniors process unresolved childhood trauma, rebuild their sense of identity and move toward lasting healing.

Outside of her clinical work, Kimberly enjoys raising her two children alongside her husband Tyler, who also is a counselor. She often can be found with an iced coffee in hand, working on home projects or baking treats to share.

www.mendedandwholecounseling.com

724 N. Montezuma St., Ste. A Prescott, AZ 86301

OWNER

Prescott Maid to Order LLC

Lucy is a passionate community leader, entrepreneur and advocate for economic growth, cultural inclusion and opportunity. A Prescott Valley resident since 2000, Lucy fell in love with the community and built a life dedicated to serving others.

As the founder and owner of Prescott Maid to Order LLC, MTO Janitorial LLC, Sedona Maid to Order and Prescott Property Maintenance LLC, Lucy has grown her companies from the ground up, creating meaningful jobs and helping hundreds of families and businesses simplify their daily lives.

In 2022, she opened The Warehouse Event Center, creating a welcoming space for community, family and cultural events. In 2025, she launched Northern Arizona’s first 100% Spanish-language entertainment and resource magazine, expanding access and connection for the region’s Spanish-speaking community. In 2026, she partnered with Talking Glass Media to create the first Spanish-language podcast in Northern Arizona, continuing her mission of sharing events, resources and inspiration.

A former Prescott Valley Councilwoman, Lucy serves on several community boards, including the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce, YRMC Foundation, GRYT, Hispanic Business Association, Prescott Area Association of Realtors and others.

Her leadership received multiple awards, reflecting her commitment to service and community impact.

928.899.8518

www.prescottmaidtoorder.com 5810 N. Prairie Ln. Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

As a fourth-generation Prescottonian, Prescott isn’t just where Melissa works — it’s home, she says. “My roots here run deep, and so does my commitment to this community.”

When she became a single parent at a young age, she knew she needed to build a stable and meaningful career for her family. Melissa enrolled in one of the first graduating paralegal programs at Yavapai College, determined to create opportunity through hard work and education.

She started out as a receptionist in a one-attorney law firm. Over time, that first job grew into a career in the legal field that now spans more than 40 years.

Melissa also owns and operates two traffic schools in Prescott, which offer online defensive driving and traffic survival school classes she personally teaches. Being a small business owner has allowed her to serve the community in other meaningful ways.

She’s proud of the relationships she’s formed along the way. The legal community — and this town — have been a big part of her life’s journey.

Melissa says Prescott has given so much to her and her family. “I’m grateful to be able to give back through my work every day.”

behind the scenes

Construction

As a third-generation owner of Haley Construction, Gillian carries forward a legacy of craftsmanship, integrity and community-driven building while shaping the future of Haley Construction with a modern, strategic vision.

Raised in a family deeply rooted in Prescott, she developed an early understanding of what it takes to deliver high-quality projects. She became an owner of Haley Construction in 2014, with her brother Allan until 2024 when she became the sole owner, making Haley one of only a handful of women-owned general contractors in Arizona.

Today, Gillian is involved in each project, financial performance and client relationship. She embraces evolving construction technologies, strengthening industry partnerships and fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration.

She is committed to building strong teams, lasting relationships and a company culture grounded in respect and inclusion. Embracing her background in land planning, and her passion for design, she is expanding the company to offer full master planning services, integrating construction consulting in the design and planning process.

Gillian completed her Master in Real Estate Development from Arizona State University after returning from an international business program in London. She is an American Institute of Interior Design professional.

by Trisha Shaffer

K rystal madonia

Krystal serves as CFO for Haley Construction in Prescott, bringing over 20 years of private and public accounting experience to the region’s building industry. With 15-plus years in private accounting and nine years in public accounting, Krystal has built a career around helping businesses — especially those in construction — strengthen their financial foundations and grow with confidence.

Her path began in Washington state, where she worked her way from a staff accountant to a controller before returning to Western Washington University to pursue public accounting. There, she also founded Double K Accounting, offering bookkeeping and consulting services to Pacific Northwest businesses.

After earning her Master in Professional Accounting, she spent nine years as a financial statement auditor and consultant, serving privately owned companies across construction, transportation, forestry, manufacturing, healthcare and nonprofit sectors. She’s been a licensed CPA since 2015.

Krystal also co-owns Devin Madonia Trucking with her husband, Devin — an experience that deepened her firsthand understanding of the challenges business owners face daily.

Since relocating to Arizona in 2023, Krystal has embraced Prescott’s construction community, channeling her expertise and passion for innovation and development into the projects Haley builds and the community partnerships Haley cultivates.

928.445.1281

www.haleyconstructionaz.com

1933 Rocky Dells Dr. Prescott, AZ 86303

ROC #025486

P rickly Pear Family Dental

Dr. McKenney is a dedicated dentist and entrepreneur. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry in 2015 before obtaining her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Midwestern University.

Since entering private practice, she has remained committed to providing exceptional patient-centered care while embracing the latest advancements in dental technology and treatment techniques.

In May 2024, Dr. McKenney purchased Prickly Pear Family Dental in Prescott with a vision to redefine the dental experience through connection, elevated care and unwavering trust.

She says patients deserve more than clinical excellence — they deserve to feel welcomed, understood and genuinely supported throughout every stage of their care. Under her leadership, the practice combines advanced technology with thoughtful communication and proactive care to create an experience both modern and personal.

Known for her honest and compassionate approach, Dr. McKenney is passionate about building meaningful relationships with patients of all ages while fostering a stressfree and comfortable environment.

She remains committed to continual growth, innovation and strengthening the health of both her patients and the Prescott community, ensuring every visit reflects the values of excellence, empathy and trust that define Prickly Pear Family Dental.

Skyy says purpose is found in service, so whether she’s leading a business, inspiring others through fitness, advocating for families affected by cystic fibrosis, or cheering from the sidelines of a dance competition, she embraces every role with heart.

With Victory Plumbing Solutions, Skyy helps lead a growing business while also serving as a Board Member for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Her commitment to the foundation began the day her youngest daughter Reagan was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth. Rather than allowing fear to define her family’s story, Skyy turned adversity into action. She dedicates countless hours to fundraising, community outreach and supporting the mission to find a cure.

A certified group fitness instructor specializing in indoor cycling, Skyy says strength is built physically and mentally. She encourages others to discover confidence, resilience and joy through movement.

Married to Levi, Skyy is mother to Rhylynn, 9, and Reagan, 6. Her vision is simple: leave every person, every organization and every community she touches a little stronger than she found it. She hopes her journey encourages others to lead with courage, give generously and never underestimate the impact of one woman.

behind the scenes

IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF THIS YEAR’S WOMEN IN BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP

ms. happy oasis

OWNER

H eaven on Earth R etreat

Whether abiding as a hermit on remote New Zealand islands, a trekking guide in the Himalayas, a meditation teacher in Thai coconut groves, a naturalist in Alaska, a forest fire lookout atop Arizonan peaks, a Redwoods advocate, a caretaker of India’s orphans or an international backpacking Adventure Anthropologist amidst her tribal families in diverse hinterlands, the poetry, songs, books and many lives of Happy Heavenly Oasis exude joy.

Co-creator of Prescott’s Heaven on Earth Retreat, Happy was the visionary, architect, organic gardener, and contractor of the unique edifices she and her beloved Free

built with their own hands and hearts. Heaven on Earth is Prescott’s paradise in the gorgeous Granite Dells featuring elegantly adventurous yet astonishingly affordable Airbnbs.

At 16, Happy won a yearlong scholarship to Tasmania’s Hobart College. At 20, she taught Thailand’s Finance Minister advanced English. At 21, she founded Wild Vegetarian Adventures, guiding adventurers to hidden paradises internationally for decades.

At 29, Happy became Prescott’s “real estate angel,” giving proceeds to young

928.308.2146

www.heavenonearthretreat.com 4395 Lake Fork Rd. Prescott, AZ 86301

starter clients who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to procure their first homes.

Happy founded the Raw Spirit Festival, the largest, longest-living, raw veganspiritual-health-music-yoga-meditationlovingkindness-ethics festivals for “education, inspiration and celebration.”

Called “the lady who saved the Granite Dells”, in 2008, Happy single-handedly stopped a developer from building 200 condominiums, then orchestrated the City of Prescott to receive today’s Granite Gardens Park.

Women Business

helen b. paslay

DNP, FNP-C

FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER

Paslay Health Care

Born and raised in the Philippines, Helen immigrated to the United States in 2000 with a commitment to building a better future through education, service and healthcare. Through perseverance, dedication and a passion for helping others, she advanced her nursing career and earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.

With more than 19 years of healthcare experience, including eight in the organ transplant unit at the Mayo Clinic Phoenix campus, Helen provides comprehensive, evidence-based care to patients of all ages.

Her clinical interests include primary care, preventive medicine, chronic disease management, women’s health, hormone replacement therapy, weight management, functional medicine, migraine treatment, cosmetic Botox and wellness optimization.

She is known for taking the time to understand each patient’s needs and developing personalized treatment plans that promote long-term health and well-being.

As the owner and lead provider of Paslay Health Care, Helen has built a thriving independent practice dedicated to delivering compassionate, highquality healthcare in a welcoming environment.

Today, the practice serves approximately 3,000 patients throughout the Prescott area. Helen and her husband are proud to call Prescott home.

928.277.0593

www.paslayhealthcare.com

3109 Clearwater Dr. Prescott, AZ 86305

Erin earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Arizona State University and brings more than 10 years of healthcare experience to providing compassionate, evidencebased care to patients of all ages.

She is dedicated to helping individuals achieve their best well-being through a collaborative, patient-centered approach emphasizing trust, education and shared decision-making.

Erin has extensive experience in preventive care, chronic disease management, patient education and wellness promotion. She focuses on treating the whole person, recognizing the important connection between physical, emotional and lifestyle factors. She is committed to empowering patients to take an active role in their care.

At Paslay Health Care, Erin works alongside a dedicated team delivering personalized healthcare in a welcoming environment. Her clinical interests include primary care, preventive medicine, women’s health, chronic disease management and wellness optimization.

Outside the clinic, Erin enjoys time with her family and exploring the beauty of Arizona.

tracy homer

Style is constantly evolving. Tracy has spent more than 20 years evolving right alongside it.

Today, Tracy continues to lead French Hen Boutique as one of Prescott’s premier shopping destinations, bringing together sophisticated fashion, luxury accessories, thoughtfully curated gifts, home décor and premium western brands under one roof.

Located just around the corner from historic Whiskey Row, the boutique blends timeless elegance with authentic western style, featuring carefully selected fashion collections, premium western apparel for women and men, home décor, gifts and nationally recognized brands known for their quality and craftsmanship.

The boutique’s continued growth and dedication to excellence earned it the honor of being named Best Boutique of Yavapai County 2026, recognizing its commitment to creating an unforgettable shopping experience.

Guided by her faith, creativity and passion for serving others, Tracy continues to evolve the boutique while staying true to the values that have defined it from the beginning: genuine hospitality, exceptional service, beautiful style and a shopping experience that feels distinctly Prescott. OWNER F rench Hen Boutique

Deeply rooted in the Prescott community, Kellie and Nancy are the proud owners of Inspiring Designs, a luxury design studio and showroom specializing in custom cabinetry, granite, quartz, quartzite and porcelain surfaces, flooring, window coverings, semi-custom closets and thoughtfully curated interior design solutions for builders, homeowners and remodeling projects throughout Northern Arizona.

Although Inspiring Designs is a new business, Kellie and Nancy bring decades of industry experience, combining exceptional design expertise with a passion for creating beautiful, functional spaces and lasting client relationships. Their mission is to make every project enjoyable, seamless and inspiring. Whether collaborating with builders to develop curated selection packages or guiding homeowners through every stage of the design process, they remain personally involved from the initial consultation through product selection, installation, final job walks and project completion — ensuring exceptional communication, meticulous attention to detail and a level of service exceeding expectations.

Together with Nathan Gatewood and the Inspiring Designs team, they are honored to serve the community they have long called home while creating timeless spaces where families will gather for years to come. Their motto: Design. Transform. Inspire.

Women Business

Kim blumstein

OWNER F lour Stone B akery

Kim, co-founder and operator of Flour Stone Bakery since it opened in 2015, uses her artistic design skills to create beautiful one-of-akind cakes for occasions such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and corporate events.

She is a highly sought-after cake artist in northern Arizona. From baking, creating and growing the business, Kim’s ambition and passion has been integral to the growth and success of her small business.

Kim and her cake art have been featured in several magazines across Arizona, and she has been awarded the PrescottWoman Magazine Feeding the Soul Award and the Best of Yavapai County Bakery Award.

She is featured as a top cake artist in Arizona Finest Weddings Magazine and has been a featured Woman in Business in Prescott LIVING Magazine for three consecutive years.

Flour Stone Bakery is a local home-based business with a cake design studio in Prescott where Kim also conducts monthly cake decorating classes to teach her love for cake art.

She has lived in the tricity area for over 25 years where she raised two sons. Kim enjoys time with her family and making lasting memories with her two granddaughters.

dr. K im harris

OWNER P rescott Medical Aesthetics

Dr. Harris is the dedicated owner and clinic manager of Prescott Medical Aesthetics, where she blends advanced aesthetic artistry with a deeply personal commitment to the Prescott community. Having rooted her family and professional life in the heart of Arizona, Dr. Harris views her clinic not just as a business, but as a vital space for empowering her neighbors to look and feel their absolute best.

Driven by a passion for helping clients achieve natural-looking, radiant results, she has built her practice into a trusted local staple. Her approach centers on individualized care, fostering genuine relationships that extend far beyond the clinic walls.

Outside of her practice, Dr. Harris is an active participant in Prescott’s community life, constantly investing back into the local economy and supporting the unique spirit of the area including her favorite local community organizations The Launch Pad and Prescott Community Cupboard.

Whether she is collaborating with local professionals or enjoying the historic charm of Everyone’s Hometown with her family, Dr. Harris says she is profoundly proud to call Prescott home and remains dedicated to enhancing the confidence and well-being of its residents.

gina V icente

CABINET DESIGNER

MCK W oodworks

Born in Brazil to parents of Italian heritage, Gina was raised in a modest, loving home. Her BrazilianItalian roots gave her plenty of passion — and, naturally, a lot of espresso in her veins.

She moved to the United States in her 20s during challenging times in Brazil. Those challenges shaped her resilience and deepened her gratitude for the opportunities offered in her adopted country.

Gina’s interest in cabinetry began during college when she restored furniture while earning her BA in psychology. After graduation, she gained construction experience at a large commercial real estate firm in California working with architects and contractors.

cheryl lou G h

Cheryl Lough and her husband Michael founded MCK Woodworks in 1998, driven by a passion for woodworking and a commitment to quality. What began as a custom cabinetry shop has grown into a thriving business serving homes across the Quad Cities and beyond, known for highquality American craftsmanship.

A Prescott-area native, Cheryl has deep community roots and extensive experience running a small business. She brings strategic leadership, a positive attitude and sound decisionmaking to her work, serving both customers and her team with care.

She is committed to excellent work and values the skilled expertise that helps clients personalize their homes through fine woodworking. Cheryl feels honored to work alongside the

Since joining MCK Woodworks in 2020, Gina has designed cabinets for kitchens, bathrooms and other spaces. She finds fulfillment in getting to know her clients and seeing their joy when the space is transformed with beautifully crafted cabinets.

She approaches each project with care, guiding clients toward choices that reflect their personal taste while integrating functionality with beauty.

Outside work, she treasures time with family, enjoys ballroom dancing and learning about nutrition. Her Christian faith also is an important part of her life and shapes the way she treats others with kindness and integrity.

OWNER & OPERATOR

MCK Woodworks Team, whom she views as respected industry leaders and admired colleagues.

Cheryl is the mother of four children and grandmother of four grandchildren. She enjoys time with her family and serving at church.

As an active NFIB member, Cheryl advocates for strong support of small businesses nationwide. Through NFIB meetings and discussions with business members and leaders, she continues learning while sharing insight from a small-business perspective. She also serves on the Badger Athletic Booster Board at Prescott High School, helping strengthen all sports booster clubs. Her involvement reflects a strong commitment to community, leadership, and service to local causes.

Women Business

danielle a dams

CO-OWNER

A dams Specialty Automotive Repair

Danielle has called Prescott home for more than 20 years, and her passion for the community is at the heart of everything she does.

In 2010, she and her husband, Anthony, founded Adams Specialty Automotive Repair in downtown Prescott. Their award-winning shop has earned multiple Readers’ Choice Awards, and Arizona BBB Ethics nominations. Danielle oversees marketing, business operations, and human resources.

Alongside her role at the automotive shop, Danielle is a licensed REALTOR® with West USA Realty of Prescott. With 30 years of experience in real estate, marketing, and home staging, she is known for exceptional service and innovative marketing. Danielle

has been recognized multiple times this year as a West USA Realty Top Producer.

Danielle has volunteered with Prescott Frontier Days® for 15 years, serving as Chairwoman of the Extreme Bronc Riding event. She serves as Board Secretary for the Prescott Frontier Days® Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing scholarships and assistance to rodeo families. She and Anthony also support Arizona animal rescues through fundraisers and events.

Whether helping clients buy and sell homes or keeping families safely on the road, Danielle believes exceptional service, integrity, and lasting relationships are the foundation of every successful business.

K risty diaz-trahan

CPRP, RECREATION SERVICES DIRECTOR C ity of Prescott

Kristy serves as Recreation Services Director for the City of Prescott, where she leads programs, parks, facilities, trails and community initiatives that enhance quality of life for residents and visitors alike.

A fourth-generation Arizonan raised in Willcox, Kristy has dedicated more than three decades to public service.

Throughout her career, she has built a reputation for collaborative leadership, creative problemsolving and a deep commitment to community engagement. Since joining the City of Prescott in 2025, she has focused on strengthening partnerships, advancing long-range planning efforts, supporting staff development and helping shape the future of recreation in the region. Kristy is a Certified Park and

Recreation Professional (CPRP), former President of the Arizona Parks and Recreation Association, conference speaker, mentor and advocate for the profession.

She says parks and recreation are about far more than facilities — they create connections, improve health and wellness, foster belonging and strengthen communities.

When she’s not working, Kristy enjoys hiking Arizona’s trails, exploring smalltown adventures, refinishing furniture, spending time with family and friends and continually investing in personal growth. Her greatest passion is helping people and communities thrive. Kristy’s mantra is parks and recreation connects people to people, people to nature and people to community.

lois fruhwirth

MAYOR

PRO TEM C ity of Prescott

Serving the citizens of Prescott is an honor, Lois says, and one she fully takes to heart.

Since joining Council in 2023, she has been delivering on her campaign priorities, now in the Council’s 5-year Strategic Plan, which includes investing in public safety, infrastructure, and creating a more dynamic economic environment to strengthen our tax base and residents’ quality of life.

Following her 34-year Procter & Gamble corporate career, she and husband Gary “retired” to Prescott. Lois quickly became active in county and statewide politics, serving on local campaigns and with community organizations.

mary frederickson

COUNCIL MEMBER

C ity of Prescott

Life has taken a varied course for Mary. Enlisting in the U.S. Navy, in Central Nevada she ran and maintained antiaircraft radar, training pilots to avoid surface-to-air missiles. After discharge, in the Pacific Northwest Mary worked while husband Gene (also a U.S. Navy vet) obtained his university degree.

Another move, to Los Angeles, for his employment. There, Mary worked full time at a local television station, going to university at night. With a degree in business administration, she continued on to law school.

She practiced law for 15 years in Los Angeles, representing small and large businesses, public

schools and homeowners, from trip-and-falls to medical malpractice, from employment discrimination to third-party violence. When the time came, in 2013, they left Southern California for the beauty, fresh air, friendly people and open vistas of the Central Highlands.

Mary dove into local life, volunteering with service organizations, learning about Prescott’s governance by attending the Citizen and Police Academies, and serving on the City’s Board of Adjustment and the General Plan Review Committee. She took the plunge by running for and being elected to the City Council in 2025. Challenging for sure, but happy to serve.

Each spring, she guest lectures more than 1,000 freshmen at University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management.

Lois serves as council liaison to the Tourism Advisory Committee, the Prescott Downtown Partnership and is on the Council’s Water Issues Subcommittee. This year she serves as Mayor Pro Tem (vice mayor), on the Council’s Subcommittee for Appointments, and chairs the Prescott-Area America 250 Committee. She hosts “In Case You Missed It,” brief bimonthly video updates on recent council actions.

Married 33 years, the couple loves to travel and has two sons, a daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren.

behind the scenes

Women in Business & Leadership: Leading with Purpose

BY SHERI HEINEY, PRESIDENT & CEO, PRESCOTT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Strong communities are built by strong leaders, and throughout Prescott, women are making a remarkable impact every day.

From entrepreneurs and executives to educators, healthcare professionals, nonprofit leaders and public servants, women are helping shape the future of our community through innovation, collaboration and service.

As President & CEO of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, I have the privilege of working alongside many of these exceptional leaders. Their success isn’t measured solely by business growth but by the relationships they build, the opportunities they create and the positive influence they have on those around them.

Leadership today requires resilience, adaptability and a willingness to embrace change while remaining grounded in strong values. The most effective leaders understand that success is achieved through collaboration, not competition. They mentor others, celebrate shared accomplishments and recognize that investing in people is one of the greatest investments we can make.

At the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, we are proud to support women in business by creating opportunities to connect, learn and lead. Through networking, educational programs, advocacy and leadership development, we strive to foster an environment where businesses — and the people behind them — can thrive.

One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned throughout my career is that leadership is ultimately about service. Whether you’re leading a company, mentoring a young professional, serving on a nonprofit board or volunteering in the community, every act of leadership has the power to inspire someone else.

As we celebrate Women in Business & Leadership, I encourage each of us to recognize the women who have influenced our own journeys. Support a woman-owned business, thank a mentor, encourage an emerging leader or simply share your experience with someone just beginning theirs.

Together, these actions create stronger businesses and an even stronger Prescott.

Fall into Local:

Celebrate the Season with the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce

BY STEVE BRACETY, PRESIDENT & CEO, PRESCOTT VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

As the warmth of summer begins to fade and the crisp air of autumn arrives, fall brings renewed energy and excitement to Prescott Valley. It is a season filled with community gatherings, outdoor activities and opportunities to support the businesses that make our town such a special place to live, work and play.

The Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce is proud to celebrate this vibrant season alongside our members, residents and visitors. Fall is a wonderful reminder of the importance of community connections, and there is no better way to strengthen those connections than by supporting local businesses.

When you choose to shop, dine and do business locally, you are investing directly in the success of our community. Local businesses create jobs, support local events, contribute to charitable causes and help

maintain the unique character that makes Prescott Valley stand out. Every purchase made at a local business has a positive ripple effect, benefiting our neighbors and strengthening our local economy.

This fall, we encourage everyone to make a conscious effort to Shop Local. Whether you’re looking for seasonal décor, gifts, home improvement services, dining experiences or professional expertise, you’ll find exceptional options right here in Prescott Valley. By supporting local businesses, you’re helping ensure they continue to thrive for years to come.

One of the season’s highlights will be the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament on Sept. 19. This annual event brings together business leaders, community partners and golf enthusiasts for a day of friendly competition, networking and fun on the course.

More than just a tournament, it serves as an opportunity to build relationships, celebrate our business community and support the Chamber’s ongoing efforts to advocate for local businesses and economic growth.

We invite businesses to participate as golfers, sponsors or volunteers and encourage community members to join us in making this year’s tournament a tremendous success. Events like these demonstrate the strength and collaboration that define Prescott Valley.

As we embrace the beauty and opportunities of the fall season, thank you for your continued support of the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce and our local business community. Together, we can ensure that Prescott Valley remains a thriving, welcoming place for businesses, families and visitors alike.

IN 2026, WE’RE EQUIPPING 25 CLASSROOMS & 525 STUDENTS in Yavapai County with $500 grants and essential school supplies through AdoptAClassroom.org.

Since 2021, Findlay Subaru Prescott has invested $71,500 to support 145 classrooms and nearly 3,451 students—because every child deserves the tools to thrive.

WOMEN Leading the Way IN CHINO VALLEY

BY SHERI HEINEY, PRESIDENT & CEO, CHINO VALLEY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Leadership takes many forms. Sometimes it is found in the owner of a small business who takes a chance on a dream. Sometimes it is the teacher who inspires future generations, the nonprofit leader who serves those in need, the rancher who preserves our agricultural heritage or the volunteer who quietly works behind the scenes to strengthen our community.

Across Chino Valley, women are making a lasting difference every day.

They are entrepreneurs creating jobs, professionals leading organizations, civic leaders serving their neighbors and mentors encouraging others to reach their full potential. Their leadership is helping shape the future of our

community while preserving the values that make Chino Valley such a special place to call home.

True leadership isn’t measured by a title. It is demonstrated through integrity, compassion, perseverance and a willingness to serve others. It means lifting those around you, creating opportunities for future generations and working together to build a stronger community.

As our community continues to grow, women remain at the forefront of innovation, education, health care, agriculture, public service and business.

They bring unique perspectives, encourage collaboration and remind us

that success is strongest when everyone has a seat at the table.

Their achievements inspire young girls to dream bigger, future entrepreneurs to take the first step and community members to invest their time and talents where they can make the greatest impact.

The Chino Valley Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to celebrate these women and all of the leaders who dedicate themselves to making Chino Valley a thriving place to live, work and do business. Through programs such as Women in Business and other networking and educational opportunities, we are honored to recognize leadership, encourage collaboration and support our local business community.

EVENING OF DESTINY set for Oct. 24 Benefit Concert

SUBMITTED BY DESTINY HOUSE RESTORATION CENTER PHOTOS BY DARNELL RENEE PHOTOGRAPHY

Healing Hearts, and restoring lives. This has been the mission of Destiny House Restoration Center for the past 14 years. Driven by a relentless passion to help female survivors of human trafficking, the founders, David and Lisa Mitts, are dedicated to fighting sextrafficking, an often unspoken crime that affects every city in the United States.

Human trafficking, including forced labor and sexual activity, is now the fastest growing crime in the world.

From its humble beginnings in the home of its founders, followed by the release of Lisa’s music video Where Has Love Gone?, which depicts a trafficking scenario, Destiny House has spun into a nationally recognized anti-human trafficking organization.

It now reaches into Central America through a recent mission to Costa Rica, where Executive Director Lisa Mitts shared with children and moms about the warning signs of both drug and sex trafficking in one of the poorest areas in Liberia, Costa Rica.

Recently, Destiny House has gained local recognition by being voted the No. 1 nonprofit by the 2026 Best of Yavapai.

Fueled by its founders’ desire to make an everlasting positive impact on the lives of women who have endured the unimaginable, Destiny House carries a two-fold mission:

• To raise awareness, offer education, provide resources and strengthen prevention efforts in communities.

• To provide holistic multifaceted therapies to usher in healing and restoration of identity and purpose through its H.E.A.R.T.S. program.

The H.E.A.R.T.S. (Healing Education and Restorative Therapies for Survivors) is a 20- to 24-month residential program with a mentorship aspect in addition to providing several therapeutic healing modalities such as acupuncture, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), talk therapy, nutrition counseling and coaching provided pro-bono by qualified licensed practitioners.

Taught by volunteers, the mentorship classes are designed to teach life skills in a supportive environment to empower women to find employment and enjoy productive lives. The classes include art,

music, healthy baking and cooking, meal planning, budgeting and finances, and resume and job interview preparation. “In my opinion, one of the most important aspects of what Destiny House Restoration Center offers is the compassionate care that goes into everything we do, as we value the dignity of every woman who trusts us enough to join our program,” says a volunteer.

Without federal or state funding, Destiny House solely relies on sponsorships, donations and the dedicated work of its volunteers and mentors. As such, all monies raised at their events go to the transition home and program operating costs and mission. Destiny House welcomes anyone who would like to become a volunteer and mentor who feel they can add to the value of what Destiny House brings to the community. “Many of our volunteers hear about

our mission by attending our annual Evening of Destiny Benefit Concert and Speaker event,” Lisa says. “This marks our sixth year here in Prescott, and it is our biggest community reach, bringing a professional concert of my original music, inspired out of my own journey of hope and healing, with messages from experts in this field, including survivors sharing their stories.

“Sex trafficking and exploitation is a challenging subject that many don’t want to face, but it is imperative we talk with our kids and families about it, and this kind of event is not only powerful but inspires many to want to be part of the solution.”

Joining Lisa, an award-winning artist/songwriter, this year are Prescott musicians Drew Hall, Troy Schilperoort, Alicia Previn, as well as out of town pros, artist/producer

Brandon Bee (co-produced one of Justin Beiber’s songs) and drummer Ross Fishburn (toured with Phil Wickham and Shane & Shane).

Speakers include Julio Almanza (Wrong to Strong foundation), Detective Heidi Chance from the state Attorney General’s Office (PBS Documentary Sex Trafficked in America), survivor Tanya Alegria and more. VIP packages include best seats and a meet and greet prior to event.

The Evening of Destiny Benefit Concert is Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. at the Jim & Linda Lee Performing Arts Center. Get tickets at www.ycpac.com or call 928.776.2000

To learn more about becoming a donor, sponsor or volunteer, visit: destinyhouserc.org. Follow Destiny House Restoration Center on Facebook.

Prescott Community Delivers Unforgettable Send-Off

for Make-A-Wish Child

Cheers erupted, engines revved and a young boy stood frozen in disbelief. What Christian thought was a routine trip to help his uncle shop for a car became one of the most unforgettable moments of his life. As he walked into Findlay Subaru Prescott, a crowd of supporters greeted him with shouts of “Happy Wish Day!” during a surprise celebration in his honor.

“You did this for me?” Christian asked as the reality of the moment sank in. Findlay Subaru Prescott sponsored Christian’s Make-A-Wish trip to Italy and hosted the send-off celebration for him and his family. Christian chose Italy to explore his family’s Italian heritage, making the experience especially meaningful.

The dealership quickly filled with laughter, applause and the sound of revving engines as Northern Arizona’s automotive community gathered

to celebrate. After learning about Christian’s love of sports cars, owners of performance, rally, overland and custom vehicles lined the parking lot with dozens of cars for him to admire.

Christian met the owners, explored the vehicles and climbed into the passenger seats of a Corvette and an Audi R8, experiencing two of the cars he has long admired.

The celebration also featured food and desserts donated by local businesses and family members, including pizza and cannoli from Rosa’s, frozen custard from Culver’s Scoops and baked treats from CrissyCakes, owned by Christian’s aunt. She created a custom Italythemed cake and cupcakes for the occasion.

Surrounded by family, friends and community members, Christian experienced an outpouring of generosity

that made the celebration as memorable as the wish itself.

“It’s hard to put into words what this meant,” says Kara Hartman, marketing director for Findlay Subaru Prescott. “To see an entire community show up to celebrate one child and send him off with this much love was incredibly powerful.” Christian’s wish included visits to Rome, Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel, Venice and the island of Sardinia, blending world-famous landmarks with an opportunity to connect with his family’s roots. It was fulfilled in June.

Long after the celebration ended, the event remains a reminder of the impact a community can have when people come together for a child. What began as a surprise at a local dealership became a powerful example of generosity, compassion and the lasting memories created when an entire community rallies around a single wish.

Build your Kids’

Leadership Skills

BY NANCY DEWITT, PATRIOT PEST & TERMITE CONTROL

Leadership skills are only becoming more important as we move further into the 21st century because leadership and its core competencies like strategic thinking and conflict resolution are among the most valuable soft skills people can offer in a world where so many tasks are being automated.

Since we’re just beginning a new school year, it’s a perfect time to think about how you can send the trajectory of the child in your life upward and onward by guiding them toward greater self-confidence and being able to take a stand for what they believe when it’s needed.

have improved communication or reach a goal.

Once they’ve developed a little interest, you can put them in charge of organizing a family activity such as a sightseeing tour or a game night. You can also coach them through situations where they can learn how to push back on someone else’s idea they disagree with without attacking or belittling them, a core tenet of leadership.

Here’s a rough guide to how you might introduce and reinforce leadership skills for children during this academic year and beyond:

FALL: AUGUST-NOVEMBER

Leadership begins with self-leadership, or taking responsibility for your obligations and following through. The start of the school year is the time to instill this in students by stressing the importance of honoring commitments made to themselves, their peers, teachers, parents, and everyone else in their lives.

For kindergarteners or kids in the early grades this can be tied to simple chores like picking up their toys or feeding pets. When they’re older they can start making decisions with real stakes like which elective classes they will take or how much time to spend on homework over the weekend. Then they need to live with the good or even the bad consequences.

WINTER: DECEMBER-FEBRUARY

‘Tis the season for family, community and church events presenting opportunities for kids to observe group dynamics and find their own place within them. You can help this along by talking to them about any group projects they participate in or the teamwork in any of the sports they participate in. Ask them how they could

SPRING: MARCH-MAY

By now your kids have gotten a close-up look at how groups function and the roles they tend to play within them, as well as a couple tastes of responsibility. It’s time for them to start noticing problems and finding solutions, encouraging them when it’s necessary (like when they turn to you for help). If they don’t succeed right away, try to resist the urge to fix things.

Older kids can start finding real-world projects they can take the lead on, such as leading a fundraiser or donation drive, organizing a class trip or tutoring other students. They can experience finding out the gaps they need to close between planning and execution and how to pivot when circumstances require them to.

SUMMER: JUNE-JULY

Summer break offers a lighter slate of other obligations, and some kids take advantage by seeking extra responsibilities and leadership roles through volunteering, service trips with family or church groups or taking a summer job. Others who need a break can take stock of what they’ve learned and put it into practice.

Continue having conversations with the kids in your life about leadership by watching and discussing movies and shows about historical leaders and their decision-making and interpersonal skills. Finding podcasts about leadership in business or the political world can help them visualize what roles they might want to pursue once they get out of school.

TIMELESS SUPPORT

Don’t be afraid to share and reinforce these leadership tips and perspectives throughout the year.

Be transparent about your own leadership roles. Whether it’s putting together a shopping list for the week or sharing an (age appropriate) conundrum from work, talk through your reasoning and let your children know the results of whatever decisions you make on the matter, including any fumbles you corrected.

Give specific praise of their efforts. “Great job” is an OK start, but make sure to single out specific aspects you feel they excelled at, so you’re praising the effort as much as or more than the end result.

It’s time for them to start noticing problems and finding solutions, encouraging them when it’s necessary.

Education DIRECTORY

UNIVERSITIES/ COLLEGES

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 3700 Willow Creek Rd. Prescott 928.777.6600 www.prescott.erau.edu

Northern Arizona University - Prescott Campus 1100 E. Sheldon St. Prescott 928.523.8047 www.nau.edu/statewidecampuses/nau-yavapai-college

Northern Arizona University - Yavapai

2972 Centerpointe E. Dr. Prescott 928.523.2988 http://legacy.nau.edu/statewidecampuses/nau-yavapai

Prescott College 220 Grove Ave. Prescott 877.350.2100 www.prescott.edu

Yavapai College 1100 E. Sheldon St. Prescott 928.717.7777 www.yc.edu

Yavapai College Chino Valley Center 2275 Old Home Manor Dr. Chino Valley 928.717.7720 www.yc.edu

Yavapai College

Prescott Valley Center 3800 N. Glassford Hill Rd. Prescott Valley 928.717.7911 www.yc.edu

TECHNICAL & TRADE SCHOOLS

Yavapai College CTEC (Career & Technical Education Center) 220 Ruger Rd., Ste. 1 Prescott 928.776.2002 www.yc.edu/ctec

Leighnor Aircraft LLC 6418 MacCurdy Dr. Prescott

928.499.3080 www.leighnoraircraft.com

Mountain Institute Career Technical Education District (CTED)

220 Ruger Rd., Ste. 2

Prescott 928.771.0791 www.micted.net

Bright Futures Preschool Humboldt Unified School District 8601 E. Loos Dr. Prescott Valley 928.759.5130 bf.humboldtunified.com

Montessori Children's Academy 630 Park Ave., Unit A Prescott 928.445.0649 www.mcaprescott.org

Rogers Academy of Beauty 2375 E. AZ-69 Prescott 928.848.9929 www.rogersacademyofbeauty.com

PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Chino Valley Unified School District No. 51 650 E. Center St. Chino Valley 928.636.2458 www.chinovalleyschools.com

Humboldt Unified School District

6901 Panther Path Prescott Valley 928.759.4000 www.humboldtunified.com

Prescott Unified School District No. 1

300 E. Gurley St. Prescott 928.445.5400 www.prescottschools.com

Mayer Unified School District No. 43 P.O. Box 1059 12606 E. Main St. Mayer 928.642.1000 www.mayerschools.org

Yavapai Accommodation School District No. 99 K-12 2972 Centerpointe E. Dr. Prescott 928.759.8126 www.yavapaicountyhighschool.com

PRESCHOOLS

American Lutheran School private school 1085 Scott Dr. Prescott 928.778.7049 www.americanlutheranschool.com

Busy Bee Learning Center 8665 E. Florentine Rd. Prescott Valley 928.772.6333 www.busybeelearningcenter.com

Cedar Tree Montessori private school 129 N. Pleasant St. Prescott 928.771.8785 www.cedartreemontessori.com

Cornerstone Christian Preschool private school 700 W. Rosser St. Prescott 928.771.2754 www.prescottcornerstone.com

Discovery Gardens Preschool Prescott Unified School District 300 E. Gurley St. Prescott 928.442.1283 dgardens.prescottschools.com

God’s World Child Care, Trinity Lutheran Church 3950 N. Valorie Dr. Prescott Valley 928.772.0460

James Family Prescott YMCA 750 Whipple St. Prescott 928.445.7221 www.prescottymca.org/ preschool

Leap & Learn Preschool 7175 E. 2nd St, Ste. B Prescott Valley 928.800.1488 www.leaplearnpreschool.com

Little Explorers Learning Academy 12150 E. Turquoise Cir. Dewey 928.379.5068 www.littleexplorersaz.com

Valley Learning Center 2235 AZ-89, Ste. 1 Chino Valley 928.636.1656 www.valleylearningcenters.net

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Abia Judd Elementary School Prescott Unified School District 1749 Williamson Valley Rd. Prescott 928.717.3263 aj.prescottschools.com

Coyote Springs Elementary School Humboldt Unified School District 6625 N. Cattletrack Dr. Prescott Valley 928.759.4300 cs.humboldtunified.com

Del Rio Elementary School

Chino Valley Unified School District 1036 N. Road 1 W. Chino Valley 928.636.4414 drs.chinovalleyschools.com

Granite Mountain Upper Elementary School Prescott Unified School District 1800 Williamson Valley Rd. Prescott 928.717.3253 granitem.prescottschools.com

Granville Elementary School

Humboldt Unified School District 5250 N. Stover Dr. Prescott Valley 928.759.4800 ge.humboldtunified.com

Humboldt Elementary School

Humboldt Unified School District 2750 S. Corral St. Humboldt 928.759.4400 he.humboldtunified.com

Lake Valley Elementary School

Humboldt Unified School District 3900 N. Starlight Dr. Prescott Valley 928.759.4200 lv.humboldtunified.com

Liberty Traditional School

Humboldt Unified School District

K-8

3300 N. Lake Valley Rd.

Prescott Valley 928.759.4500 lib.humboldtunified.com

Lincoln Elementary School

Prescott Unified School District 201 Park Ave.

Prescott 928.717.3249 lincoln.prescottschools.com

Mayer Elementary School

Mayer Unified School District No. 43 12568 E. Main St.

Mayer 928.642.1101 www.mayerel.mayerschools.org

Mountain View

Elementary School

Humboldt Unified School District 8601 E. Loos Dr. Prescott Valley 928.759.4700 mv.humboldtunified.com

Taylor Hicks

Elementary School

Prescott Unified School District 1845 Campbell Ave.

Prescott 928.717.3276 taylorh.prescottschools.com

Territorial Early Childhood Center

Chino Valley Unified School District

Preschool-2nd Grade 1088 Mahan Ln. Chino Valley

928.636.3842

tecc.chinovalleyschools.com

MIDDLE SCHOOLS

Bradshaw Mountain Middle School

Humboldt Unified School District 12255 Turquoise Cir. Dewey 928.759.4900 ms.humboldtunified.com

Heritage Middle School

Chino Valley Unified School District

1076 N. Road 1 W. Chino Valley

928.636.4464 hms.chinovalleyschools.com

Prescott Mile High Middle School

Prescott Unified School District

300 S. Granite St. Prescott 928.717.3241 mileh.prescottschools.com

Pronghorn Ridge Middle School

Humboldt Unified School District

6411 N. Robert Rd.

Prescott Valley 928.759.4600 pr.humboldtunified.com

HIGH SCHOOLS

Aspire High School

Yavapai Accommodation School

District No. 99

2972 Centerpointe E. Dr. Prescott 928.759.8126

www.yavapaicountyhighschool.com

Bradshaw Mountain High School

Humboldt Unified School District

6000 Long Look Dr. Prescott Valley 928.759.4100

hs.humboldtunified.com

Chino Valley High School

Chino Valley Unified School District

760 E. Center St. Chino Valley 928.636.2298 cvhs.chinovalleyschools.com

Mayer High School

Mayer Unified School District No. 43 17300 E. Mule Deer Dr. Mayer 928.642.1200 www.mayerhs.mayerschools.org

Prescott High School

Prescott Unified School District

1050 N. Ruth St. Prescott 928.445.2322 phs.prescottschools.com

Yavapai County High School

Yavapai Accommodation School

District No. 99

2972 Centerpointe E. Dr. Prescott 928.759.8126 www.yavapaicountyhighschool.com

CHARTER SCHOOLS

Acorn Montessori Schools preschool-8th grade

8085 E. Manley Dr. (preschool-K)

7555 E. Long Look Dr. (K-3) 8556 E. Loos Dr. (4-8) Prescott Valley 928.772.5778 www.acornmontessori.com

Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center (AAEC) high school

7500 E. Skoog Blvd. Prescott Valley 928.775.3200 www.aaechs.com/campuses

BASIS Prescott K-12

1901 Prescott Lakes Pkwy. Prescott 928.277.0334 www.enrollbasis.com/prescott

Franklin Phonetic Primary School K-8

6116 E. AZ-69 Prescott Valley 928.775.6747

La Tierra Community School K-8

551 1st St. Prescott 928.445.5100 www.latierracommunityschool.org

Mingus Springs Charter School K-8

3600 N. Sunset Dr. Chino Valley 928.636.4766 www.mingusspringsschool.org

Mountain Oak School preschool-8th grade 1455 Willow Creek Rd. Prescott 928.541.7700 www.mountainoakschool.org

PACE Preparatory Academy high school 6711 E. 2nd St. Prescott Valley 928.775.9675 www.paceacademy.com

Prescott Valley School K-8

9500 E. Lorna Ln. Prescott Valley 928.772.8744 www.pvschool.com

Skyview School K-8

125 S. Rush St. Prescott 928.776.1730 www.skyviewschool.org

Tri-City College Prep Grades 7-12 5522 Side Rd. Prescott 928.777.0403 www.tricityprep.org

Willow Creek Charter School K-8

2100 Willow Creek Rd. Prescott 928.776.1212 www.willowcreekcharter.com

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

ASCEND School

K-12 special education 3021 Centerpointe E. Dr. Prescott 928.443.9290 www.azautismascend.org

Northwest Christian School Online K-12 602.978.5134 www.ncsonline.org

Prescott Adventist Christian School K-8

2980 Willow Creek Rd. Prescott 928.224.8022 www.prescottadventistchristian school.com

Primavera School preschool-5th grade 1446 Moyer Rd. Prescott 928.445.5382 www.primaveraschool.org

Sacred Heart Catholic School

preschool-8th grade 131 N. Summit Ave. Prescott 928.445.2621 www.sacredhearteducation.com

Trinity Christian School K-12

1212 Warrior Way 1077 Mogollon Rd. Prescott 928.445.6306 www.trinitychristianaz.com

At Willow Creek Charter, we believe in the potential of every student and are committed to the success of all.

Each student is valued as an individual and we celebrate the unique qualities he or she brings to our family-like community.

SMALL CLASS SIZE

ZERO TOLERANCE FOR BULLYING FOUR DAY SCHOOL WEEK

PERSONALIZED EDUCATION AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS

Sacred Heart Catholic School

OUR MISSION: Guided by the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we are a community of faith, dedicated to teaching the whole child by providing a Catholic education that promotes academic excellence, quality of character, social responsibility, and spiritual growth, being the living example of God’s love to others.

We provide a broad and relevant curriculum based on our mission, philosophy, and Schoolwide Learning Expectations. We are devoted educators dedicated to curriculum development and best practices in instructional methodology to meet students needs in the 21st century.

We welcome you to visit our school, talk with our faculty and families, and take a tour or shadow for a day. Please contact us to learn more.

Oxygen Recovery Plan

Two Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University student teams competed in the June finals of NASA’s 2026 Human Lander Challenge (HuLC), earning national recognition for technologies designed to help sustain astronauts during future deep-space missions.

The Prescott Campus team advanced with a proposal for an oxygen-recovery system for long-duration spaceflight, while the Daytona Beach Campus team was selected for a concept focused on water recovery and management. The Daytona Beach team ultimately won third place.

Administered by the National Institute of Aerospace on behalf of NASA, the Human Lander Challenge invites university students to develop innovative solutions to engineering challenges associated with future human exploration missions. The 2026 competition focused on environmental control and life support systems, the technologies that sustain astronauts during missions to destinations such as the moon and Mars.

PRESCOTT’S 3RD CONSECUTIVE YEAR

For the third consecutive year, students with the Professional Association of Research and Space Engineering Concepts organization at the Prescott Campus have earned a place among the challenge’s finalists. Grant Bowers, the organization’s program manager and a software engineering senior, says the organization’s is the only team to have qualified as a finalist in every forum to date. The team earned first place in 2025 and was recognized for systems engineering in 2024.

This year, the team’s project addressed a key challenge for future deep-space exploration: generating oxygen efficiently while reducing dependence on costly resupply missions from Earth.

manager and an aerospace engineering senior. “To keep astronauts aboard these eventual missions safe, closing the loop is required as a means of having a fully sustainable environment so they can stay off-world for longer periods of time.”

The team proposed a project titled Atmospheric Electrochemical Transformation for Habitat and Environmental Regeneration (AETHER), a sustainable oxygen-generation system that converts carbon dioxide into usable oxygen.

“To keep astronauts aboard these eventual missions safe, closing the loop is required as a means of having a fully sustainable environment so they can stay off-world for longer periods of time.”

-SANAYA NICHANI DEPUTY PROGRAM MANAGER AND AN AEROSPACE ENGINEERING SENIOR

“When we eventually venture out to the moon, Mars and beyond, the cost of resupply becomes more expensive and dangerous,” says Sanaya Nichani, deputy program

“Systems like AETHER are what humans will need to design and implement into the environmental control and life support system architecture NASA is currently building in order to have successful space missions,” Bowers says.

Dr. Siwei Fan, an assistant professor of aerospace engineering and the project’s faculty adviser, say the concept could help reduce reliance on conventional oxygen-generation methods by directly recovering oxygen from carbon dioxide.

“The broader significance of AETHER lies not only in oxygen generation, but in how we design life-support systems for human space exploration, from spacecraft and space stations to lunar and Martian habitats,” he says.

DAYTONA BEACH WINS WITH WATER PLAN

Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus won third-place recognition with its Advanced Quality Orbital Rehydration Assembly (AQUORA), a concept focused on water management during future lunar missions.

Developed by students in the university's Advanced Space Technologies Research Applications (ASTRA) Lab, the system seeks to improve how astronauts access and manage drinking water during long-duration missions on the moon. The team built on technology already proven aboard the International Space Station.

For more information about Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, please visit www.erau.edu

Learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought with ardor and attended to with diligence.”

-Abigail

SPONSORED BY

Education is the basis for the growth and progress of society, allowing people to contribute more in their areas of expertise and create better communities. Education on every level develops problem-solving skills and provides the opportunity for empowerment through hard work.

Thank you for reading the Education Section! The section appears in every bimonthly issue including a complete directory, local articles and messages from local schools to help you decide what best suits your personal or family needs.

Willow Creek Dog Park

Gets a Tail Wag of Approval

Prescott’s Willow Creek Park has been central to the social lives of hundreds of thousands of dogs and their families since the opening of its Beneful Dream Dog Park nearly 12 years ago, after resident Linda Nichols won a half-milliondollar dog park makeover for the City from the pet-food brand.

This year the city has put another $500,000 into the entire park to make its amenities more appealing and functional for users on four and two legs, formally opened with a June ribbon-cutting. That amount of money doesn’t stretch as far as it once did, so City staff put in a lot of the grunt work required to make it a reality.

“We did a lot of the work in-house just to again stretch the dollars and be able to extend all of those levels of improvement, so, it’s, it to me, it’s an investment well worth it in our community, it’s very family-focused and community-focused,” Recreation Services Director Kristy Diaz-Trahan says.

The park has gotten a new “leash” on life, and attendance is up from about 300 to 500 (human) visitors per day, she says.

“They walk in with a ‘Wow this place is beautiful.’ And the response from the humans are just, they’re just loving the amenities, and so are the dogs, and as the weather gets warmer both are enjoying the new misting element and

STORY AND PHOTOS BY BLAKE HERZOG

splash pad. One of the key functions in terms of improvement that we did is we got the doggy splash pad,” Diaz-Trahan says.

Gentler than a standard kiddie splash pad, “It just kind of squirts a little bit of water on them. There’s no special features that you would have in a kid splash pad. But it’s fun, they can splash around and cool off,” she says.

Diaz-Trahan said the misting element isn’t exactly new — it’s just never worked properly. The hydrants in the firefighter-themed park were always intended to spray water droplets to cool everyone down.

“Our parks team went in and removed and replaced all of the irrigation, put in new heads and now, again, as the temperatures are getting warm, the humans now can also enjoy a little bit of cool water on them as these hot days occur,” she says.

Four Arizona ash trees have been added to the space and are beginning to grow into their role bringing additional shade to the surface, which is now covered by a new, specialized type of artificial turf more tailored to canines’ and their owners’ needs than the “garden-variety” brand previously used.

“Essentially, it’s engineered to withstand pet urine. It provides more efficient

draining, so that way that can wash out the urine quicker as well as minimizing odor. We definitely upgraded the level of turf and the type of turf that we have out there,” Diaz-Trahan says.

Not to mention the previous turf was more than 10 years old and coming up at the edges of the field where dogs had been pulling it up. The edges are now secured by a concrete border that will help to secure the turf and maintain a cleaner appearance throughout the play area.

Additional improvements to the dog park include solar-powered lighting at the park entrance and the main ramada within the play area to make the park more welcoming in lowerlight conditions. The landscaping has been redone at the entrance, and larger concrete pads have been installed at the entrance and under misting areas to improve drainage and accessibility.

As much as people love their pets, DiazTrahan notes, “nobody wants a mudfilled dog in their car.”

All the dog park renovations, which were completed in February, have not affected the firehouse theme, which was proposed by Nichols in her video essay to Beneful in the wake of the loss of the 19 Granite Mountain Hot Shots in the 2013 Yarnell Hill wildfire.

The grounds at what’s officially known as Jim McCasland Willow Creek Park after a longtime parks director, at 3181 Willow Creek Road, also include a multiuse playfield, playground, basketball court and trailhead for the Willow Lake Trail. The first two sections also were overhauled this year and completed in the spring.

Ten thousand square feet of lush green sod was added to the playfield, transforming the dusty outfield where “you have youth, you have little girls and little boys out there in center field, but they’re standing in dirt,” Diaz-Trahan says.

The infield of the outdated field has been laser-leveled, the dugouts upgraded and pushed back from the foul lines, a new scoreboard added and the fencing upgraded.

“And that place is now reserved like crazy, and the Prescott Little League organization is going to host the Little League all-stars and they’re going to be using that field for the first time,” Diaz-Trahan says.

The 20-year-old equipment on the playground tucked behind the basketball courts has been replaced with cutting-edge climbing tower, rope course, slides, swings and a hand-cranked game that builds competition and camaraderie among young users.

City parks staff used extra turf from the dog park project and concrete curbing to create a tree-shaded seating area for parents and other onlookers.

“It’s wonderful,” Diaz-Trahan says. “It’s like you’re sitting there on grass underneath this beautiful tree watching your kids play at the playground. It was just like, ‘Hey, we have this extra turf. Let’s make use of it so the community has a better experience.’”

Prescott’s improvements to City parks are far from done. The recreation department has been putting the finishing touches on its 10-year master parks plan, based on community input, and will present it to the City Council in October, with a vote on final approval set for November.

What inspires you?

Every one of us can create a kinder path for another. Recently, I was reminded of that truth.

I was standing in line at Boot Barn. Ahead of me was an older couple. The husband needed a new pair of pants. When they attempted to pay, their card was declined. They searched for another card, apologizing for the delay.

As the woman continued looking through her wallet, I handed the cashier my card and quietly asked her to add their purchase to mine.

“Why would you do this?” the older woman asked.

“Because I believe I was placed

here, at this moment, for a reason. Today, that reason was to help you.”

Later, I learned of a family on the San Carlos Indian Reservation with several children and their dogs. For nearly two years they had been living without running water or electricity.

With the donation of two 330-gallon water storage tanks, we hired a water delivery company to transport and fill them with fresh drinking water. Maybe not a permanent solution, but immediate relief.

Helping another, whether an animal or a person, is one of the most powerful things you can do.

At Animal Guardian Network, compassion becomes medical

care for an aging horse, a refuge for a forgotten dog, sanctuary for an unwanted burro, and a place where vulnerable animals are given not only safety, but dignity, purpose and love. It begins with one compassionate choice.

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These faces deserve a second chance.

Downsizing to your Next Home may be Easier than you Think

BY BLAKE HERZOG

When it comes time to consider moving to a new home and you’re somewhere around retirement age, the concept of downsizing may be on the table.

There are some who relish the idea of bringing extended family under their roof for major holidays and want to upsize, but many buyers are eyeing smaller spaces inside and outside for easier maintenance and possibly a new community with a higher quality of life and extra conveniences.

Greater Prescott and its variety of housing choices fit the bill for many people who have reached this stage of their lives, particularly if they want to be near family in Arizona or California.

But the process of whittling down possessions has a reputation of becoming an emotional minefield for people having to learn to let go of items inextricably tied to a youth receding into the rear-view mirror or having arguments over whether a pasta scoop is truly necessary.

Realtor Jill Hunsucker of Realty One Group Mountain Desert says many couples are actually pretty confident when they reach the point of paring down.

“I think most people who are downsizing know what they want. I think they know how many bedrooms they need, but they may not need as much extra space. It is

usually that they’re coming from a 3,500 square-foot going into a 2,500 squarefoot, but they still need their office space. And so, we usually make a flex room where it could be a bedroom that’s also an office.”

Though national statistics suggest only about 30% of retirees at the most end up downsizing, for Hunsucker it’s a factor in many of the moves she’s seen in Prescott, especially for those relocating from out of town.

“Probably even the majority are downsizing just because they’ve been in a home for 30 years and want a newer home and want less space, need less space,” she says.

KNOW YOUR TARGET LIFESTYLE

Once you know what you want your postretirement lifestyle to look like it’s going to be much easier to narrow down what will need to go to fit into your smaller residence. Hunsucker says many of her clients are looking for a house they can love, but that’s also easier to close up and secured when they go on one of their many planned trips. But that doesn’t always mean moving to a tiny lot if that travel is being done in an RV.

What these “lock and leave” houses generally have is “low maintenance yards, for one,” Hunsucker says. “So native landscape, rock landscape, that is

something that they don’t have to worry about watering every day or having a system in place that it gets watered if they do have flowers or that type of thing.

“In a community where you’re friendly with your neighbors, where they can kind of watch your house while you’re gone. Either a gated community or just with that kind of a community feel, like a subdivision.”

Those homes generally are in an HOA, but homebuyers leery of living within one can often find one that isn’t too overbearing on their members, she says.

“Prescott has a lot of is communities that have CC&NRs, which is the restrictions and covenants, but they don’t necessarily have an HOA, so that’s kind of nice too because they have restrictions that allow certain things and not certain things, but yet there’s no HOA that’s coming around and hounding you all the time.”

WHEN IT AIN’T SO EASY

Not everything is easy to downsize, and not everyone finds it a simple task, especially when they’re losing a lot of space by moving into an apartment in an independent or assisted living community.

In these cases, people can turn for help to Realtors, professional organizers, estate sale specialists, junk removal trucks and senior move managers, preferably

members of the National Association of Senior Move Managers, who sign a code of ethics pledging not to take advantage of their often-vulnerable clients.

Lyn Baker of In Your Space Consulting has been a member of the organization since 2010 and says she’s helped with about 1,000 moves in Greater Prescott, most but not all of them involving seniors.

She goes through a meticulous process for downsizers that begins with her creating a to-scale floor plan of the new home and a plethora of photos and videos.

“I measure each wall, I mark the plugs, the cable jacks, the light switches. I measure it all,” Baker says. Then she goes back to her clients’ home to compile their wish list of furniture they wish to move and put together a magnet board showing where each chair, dresser, table and ottoman can go.

Then she goes through each room of the original home with the client or clients and has them decide, one object by one, which will go into their new residence and which will be donated, sold or thrown out.

“Not everything is easy to downsize, and not everyone finds it a simple task, especially when they’re losing a lot of space by moving into an apartment in an independent or assisted living community.”

If they’re not able to walk through the room with her, she will bring each item to them to get a ruling. The client always has the final say, and while she does urge them not to rent a storage locker for excess belongings they don’t want to get rid of, it does happen from time to time.

“They’re always the boss and they’re always in charge because this is their lifetime of memories,” Baker says. “I give them choices. I say, listen, we’ve got this cabinet full and your apartment is full now, is there something we’d like to switch out for it? And if they say, no, no, I want it all, then I have to come up with plan B.”

Her advice for people going through the downsizing journey alone?

“I would say you focus on one room at a time, and you don’t go to other areas of the house. I call it decluttering ADD, where you pick up something that needs to go to the kitchen, and then you go to the kitchen, then you get sidetracked in the kitchen and you go somewhere else. And so I usually say focus on one room, and if something needs to go to a different room, you set it right outside the door with stacks of where they need to go.

“But you start in one corner of the room and slowly work around the whole room till that’s completed, because then by the time you’re done, you have a sense of accomplishment because you completed a whole room instead of getting kind of sidetracked by putting things in all different rooms.”

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THE ARIZONA TRANSITION:

5 Habits of Successful Desert Gardeners

BY KEN LAIN, THE MOUNTAIN GARDENER, WATTERS GARDEN CENTER

Moving to the high country of Arizona is a breath of fresh air — literally. But if you have just arrived from the humid East Coast or the coastal warmth of Southern California, your gardening internal compass is likely spinning.

High-altitude gardening isn’t just “different,” it’s a whole new ballgame.

When you combine our thin, bright air with persistent mountain winds and a dry climate, you can take everything you learned elsewhere and toss it over the garden fence. Our soil responds differently to water (or the lack of it), and our seasons

have a rhythm all their own. To help you settle in, I’ve put together five essential habits that set successful mountain gardeners apart from frustrated ones.

HABIT 1:

MASTER THE ZONE 7 MINDSET

The first thing newcomers do is try to plant what they had back home. If you moved from Phoenix or San Diego, you might be tempted by palm trees or citrus. Don’t do it. Our local USDA garden zone is 7, with a bit of a zone 8 influence. This means we have a real winter with nightly freezing temperatures.

The secret? Buy plants labeled for Hardiness Zones 1-7. Stay away from those desert dwellers meant for zones 10 and 11. The silver lining of our cold nights is the chilling hours they provide. This cold is precisely what allows us to grow world-class apples, peaches, cherries, grapes and berries. It’s also why our lilacs, forsythias and butterfly bushes bloom so spectacularly.

HABIT 2:

EMBRACE THE 12-MONTH GARDEN Right now, we are deep into the harvest of warm-season crops like

tomatoes and peppers through October. In many parts of the country, you hang up the shovel in October. Not here. Because of our mild seasons, we garden 12 months of the year.

Now through September, it is time to get your cool-season crops in the ground. Broccoli, spinach, lettuce and Brussels sprouts love the last monsoon rains and autumn chill. You will be harvesting fresh from the garden until the end of the year. Very few places in America offer this kind of twoseason harvest. If you want color in the snow, plant pansies, violas and ornamental kale next month.

I fully expect my garden to show off brilliant colors every single month of the year, and yours should too.

HABIT 3:

RESPECT THE TRIPLE THREAT (SUN, WIND AND AIR)

Never underestimate the intensity of the Arizona sun at 5,000+ feet. The air is thinner, meaning the UV rays are stronger. Combined with our mountain winds and low humidity, plants lose moisture through their leaves at an alarming rate.

Successful gardeners look for “tough” foliage. Look for plants with thick, leathery leaves. These are naturally designed to retain moisture and resist tearing during our fierce spring windstorms. This is where informed selectivity saves you a lot of heartache and money.

HABIT 4:

TEST YOUR SOIL (YARD BY YARD)

In the mountains, the soil isn’t uniform. I’ve seen homes where the front yard is sandy granite, and the backyard is heavy, red clay. You must treat each garden project as its own unique environment.

Most local soil lacks organic material. Whether you have fast sandy soil or slow clay, the answer is the same: organic mulch. Adding mulch helps granite soil hold water and prevents clay soil from turning into a brick.

One vital tip: our soil is naturally alkaline. Do not add lime or wood ashes, as they raise the pH even higher. Instead, use soil sulfur to lower the pH and make nutrients more available to your plants.

HABIT 5:

GARDEN WITH THE NEIGHBORS (THE WILD KIND)

We are surrounded by beautiful national forest lands, which means the local wildlife thinks your garden is a five-star buffet. Javelinas, deer, antelope and rabbits are part of the landscape.

Successful gardeners don’t fight nature; they outsmart it. We use a local deer and rabbit resistant plant list to choose things the critters find unpalatable. If you want to grow tulips or roses, they’ll need a fence or a safe container.

WATTERS TREES ARE COOL

We’ve collected 700 mountain hardy trees for summer-long shade, privacy, and wind protection. We guarantee you will fall in love with a backyard that is cool again.

BUILT-INS EXPAND A HOME'S STORAGE

BY BLAKE HERZOG

Furniture is as inevitable as taxes and the other thing, with all the positives and negatives it brings. It makes a house livable, but it’s bulky and rarely fills space perfectly, leaving weird gaps you can’t do anything with. It can be too heavy to move and difficult to clean behind and underneath. Some of it can even turn hazardous if it tips over.

Built-in furniture solves all of these problems and adds gobs of character to a home, giving it a stately yet inviting appearance that welcomes you and all of your stuff with open shelves, benches and more.

Here’s what to consider as you decide whether built-ins are right for you, whether you’re remodeling or building a home from scratch.

MAXIMIZED SPACE

Built-in dressers, wardrobes, beds and desks are crafted to meet the measurements of your floor plan, putting all of your storage exactly where you need it to be. There’s no lugging your exercise gear to the living room from

the garage every morning when there’s an ideally sized cabinet underneath the TV where you watch your workouts, for instance.

CLUTTER BUSTERS

Built-ins reduce clutter by leaving you with no excuses for not putting things away, since everything has a compartment where it belongs. Closet chaos is tamped down by shelves for shoes, purses and hats; pull-out wire baskets in the pantry are the perfect place to store nonrefrigerated fruit and veggies off of the counter.

If you or your family have trouble staying organized to the degree this would require you should steer clear, however.

CLEAN, INTENTIONAL LOOK

Furnishings that float throughout a room or are set against the walls don’t have the same gravitas as items sewn into the structure as architectural features. They give your rooms additional personality along with the space, like it was built with care. Many buyers consider them a signifier of a well-built, higher-end home.

When you’re seeking a more informal, relaxed tone the regimentation of builtins could work against what you want.

UPFRONT COST

Incorporating built-in furniture may be more cost-effective during a new-home build rather than a remodel, which is the more common scenario. Finding an experienced carpenter who can ensure a proper fit, strong load capacity and flawless finishes is going to be costly, but is going to add more value to your home than a DIY project.

One of the most frequently asked questions is whether built-ins add value to your home, and answers tend to be mixed. They attract some buyers by adding storage and character and repel others by limiting their ability to use the home as they wish.

Most sources currently say they add about 50% to 60% of their cost to the eventual selling price, so you’re not likely to make all your investment back once you sell.

Heat Pumps Energy-Efficient, with High Upfront Costs

Heat pumps have been gaining popularity over the last couple of decades as a cleaner electricity-driven alternative to natural gas- or propane furnaces, one that doubles as an air conditioning unit for space-saving versatility.

According to the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute, 23 million homes in the U.S. now have a heat pump, and they have been outselling gas-fueled units since 2020.

These next-wave HVAC appliances work the same way as traditional air conditioners in summer by pushing ambient heat inside a home outside to produce cooling; in winter the process is simply reversed as it finds enough warm outdoor air to pull inside for heating. Its carbon footprint is smaller, shrinking even more when it’s powered by electricity from renewable sources such as solar or wind.

While heat pumps have many advantages and are touted from some corners as “the future” of heating and cooling, they do have drawbacks as well as advantages that should be looked at before making any purchasing decisions.

PROS

Higher efficiency

Heat pumps don’t generate warmth, instead shifting hot air where it is or isn’t needed. Operating costs are lower as a result so you can recoup savings more quickly after the initial investment. Your electrical use likely will increase if you’re replacing a conventional furnace, but the fuel savings will compensate. Rewiring America, a nonprofit advocating for home electrification, estimates homeowners replacing an inefficient fossil-fuel driven system will save close to $1,000 a year.

Lower emissions and safety risk

Since there’s no combustion involved there’s no gas line or pilot light to worry about, no direct internal or external emissions to lower air quality or enter the atmosphere.

More even heating and cooling

Heat pumps deliver a steady stream of warmer air rather than blasting hot air intermittently, creating a more comfortable environment overall.

CONS

High

installation expense

This varies based on the size of the

home and the amount of heating capacity needed, but according to Rewiring America the median price for a whole-home heat pump system for a 1,500-2,500 square foot home is nearly $20,000, rising to $25,000 for larger houses. The state’s Efficiency Arizona rebate program offers up to $8,000 for qualifying residents replacing a gas heater with a heat pump, and local utility providers may have other incentives.

Less effective in the coldest temperatures

Early heat pumps weren’t very effective for heating in sub-freezing temperatures, but technological advancements have changed that and most do well except in very cold climates with extended subzero cold snaps. An electrical strip can be added to provide extra heat when the outside temperature dips below a certain level, but these can spike your electric bill.

Savings depend on volatile fuel costs

The amount of money you save with a heat pump will largely depend on how expensive electricity is compared to natural gas, so you’ll need to consider whether the tradeoff will be advantageous compared to your current utility expenses.

GIVE YOUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM a Fall Refresh

Another summer is entering the rear view mirror and it’s a perfect time to take stock of how your drip irrigation system performed throughout our thirstiest season, not to mention the upgrades you can make to set your yard up for success by the next growing season.

BEGIN WITH THE BASICS

You can start out by assessing which trees and plants thrived in Greater Prescott’s unpredictable weather conditions and which ones faltered. Before pulling dead or ailing ones out, inspect the surrounding sprinkler heads, irrigation emitters, valves and tubing for clogs, leaks or any other damage that might explain their struggle to survive.

That doesn’t mean you should ignore the high performers. Make certain your equipment is functioning as well as it did over the course of the season and take any notes that might help you rejuvenate the troubled spots.

TIMELY UPDATES

The end of summer/beginning of autumn also is ideal for making the big changes

you might have been contemplating all season or a few seasons now.

If you are still depending on traditional sprinklers to water your yard and gardens it’s time to reconsider. Drip irrigation uses a type of emitter called a dripper to deliver small amounts of water exactly where it needs to go at the root of your trees, plants and shrubs, avoiding the drift and uneven watering of sprinklers. Lawn areas, if you have them, are the only parts of your yard that need overhead sprinklers.

Smart irrigation controllers are becoming the standard by which homeowners manage their drip or sprinkler systems. They react to evolving weather conditions much faster than you can reprogram a conventional one, saving valuable time and moisture for when they are necessary. Stable internet and power coverage are needed for them to be most effective.

REDRAWING THE MAP

You can conserve water without trying to customize every emitter to the species it’s serving by grouping plants with

similar watering requirements together to simplify the task. This can also put into perspective how thirsty some of your landscaping actually is, adding to your motivation to exchange some of that vegetation for native and/or drought tolerant plants.

While you’re at it, you should take a look at the soil conditions underlying your gardening footprint. Add compost or fertilizer to infuse fresh nutrients for the winter and more mulch if you need to reduce evaporation, erosion and weed growth.

SEASONAL MAINTENANCE

Even if there aren’t any features in your irrigation system you need to upgrade, do take the time to take care of the routine upkeep that makes any of them operate more efficiently. Hopefully you’ve flushed your drip irrigation lines at least once or twice during the season to remove debris; do it now if not.

Clear out the filters, check all your components for wear, and check the pressure regulators for leaks and other signs of uneven distribution.

GO VERTICAL with Vining Houseplants

Anyone looking to add more indoor greenery to their home with a little more personality than the average houseplant should consider vining and climbing species that grow to great lengths.

Their stems can cascade elegantly over the sides of a planter or hoist themselves upward by twisting around trellises or actually climbing higher with tiny tendrils, suckers or aerial roots.

They’re fascinating to watch and nurture, and they bring dynamic vertical interest to any space lucky enough to be graced by them.

One of the reasons these plants remain so popular is their versatility. Many varieties can be trained to climb upward, allowed to trail naturally or pruned to maintain a compact shape. They’re also available in a wide range of leaf colors, patterns and textures, making it easy to find one that complements nearly any decorating style.

POTHOS

Perhaps the best-known vining houseplant is pothos, but it’s also a climber! As a viner it’s often recommended for beginners because it thrives in a variety of lighting conditions and tolerates occasional missed waterings. Its heart-shaped leaves come in shades of green, gold, white and even silvery blue.

Getting them to climb requires a little more work and a vertical surface such as a trellis or moss pole, but it’s the plant’s

natural growth pattern that allows it to grow larger, showier leaves.

PHILODENDRON

Another favorite is the heartleaf philodendron. Similar in appearance to pothos but slightly finickier, it has softer, darker green foliage, grows quickly and responds well to pruning. It also climbs readily when given support, creating fuller growth and larger leaves over time. Wash your hands after handling the leaves to avoid ingesting a toxic compound it produces, calcium oxalate.

SWISS CHEESE VINE (MONSTERA)

For homeowners looking for something with dramatic foliage, the Swiss cheese vine (Monstera adansonii) delivers. Its distinctive leaves develop natural holes as they mature, adding a tropical feel to interior spaces. It grows downward and trails impressively and with a moss pole or trellis, this plant happily climbs while producing increasingly impressive foliage.

STRING OF PEARLS, ETC.

String plants have also become design

favorites. Varieties such as string of pearls, string of hearts and string of turtles feature delicate trailing stems covered with unique beadlike or patterned leaves. These succulents are not good climbers and prefer bright light and slightly drier soil, making them excellent choices for sunny windows.

HOYAS

Hoyas, often called wax plants, offer another attractive option. Their thick, glossy leaves trail beautifully and, under the right conditions, reward patient growers with fragrant clusters of starshaped flowers. Many varieties also display striking variegation, adding visual interest even when not in bloom.

CARE

Most vining houseplants thrive in bright, indirect light, well-draining soil and moderate watering. Allowing the top inch of soil to dry between waterings helps prevent root rot, while occasional pruning encourages fuller growth. Rotating pots every few weeks also promotes even development.

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A WARM TABLESCAPE to Close Out Summer

The kids already are back in school and the weather will soon be catching up as the days grow shorter and the sun becomes a little less abundant. Summer is coming to a close and many of us are getting a little verklempt about the approach of cooler temperatures, regardless of how hot some of those days actually got.

It’s a nice time to think about marking the change of seasons with a small gettogether or family dinner where folks can reminisce about everything they’ve been able to do over the last 12 weeks or so. Vacations, frolicking in nearby forest and lakes, grilling in the backyard, Courthouse Plaza concerts, the rodeo, fireworks — there’s so much to cover.

Your tablescape can encompass colors and textures that bring to mind the growth, sunshine, lazy days and breezy nights of this delightful season in Greater Prescott. We have a few ideas below to get you started, but we certainly encourage you to use your creativity!

COLOR PALETTE

Dusty terracotta, sage green, warm amber, deep plum and sun-bleached linen. Think the colors of the Granite

Dells at dusk. Throw in some aqua blue accents for Watson Lake.

CENTERPIECE

• A low runner of sunflowers, dried grasses and sprigs of piñon or juniper down the center. Stop by Mortimer Farms to pick up sunflowers and local produce for the meal.

• Tuck in a few mini gourds or small green apples for that early harvest hint, which you should be able to find at Mortimer Farms or Prescott Farmers Market.

• Weathered wood or slate chargers underneath, which are easy to find at Target or craft stores including Hobby Lobby.

LINENS

Undyed linen tablecloth with terracotta or rust napkins — slightly rumpled is perfect for that relaxed Prescott feel. You can check out At Home’s large selection for ideas.

TABLEWARE

• Earthy stoneware in matte cream or sage

• Hammered copper or matte black flatware

• Amber glass goblets or simple clear glassware with a copper rim

Check out At Home’s inventory while you’re there.

CANDLES & LIGHT

Beeswax taper candles in aged brass holders — essential for those cool Prescott evenings that arrive fast after sunset. Find them at local merchants like Armadilla Wax Works, G.G.’s Candles or Magpie Home and Gift.

EXTRAS

• Scatter a few raw wood slices as coasters or small risers from your own yard or a local craft store.

• Use hand-lettered card stock for place cards (available from many local businesses including Prescott Fine Art) tucked into a sprig of dried lavender.

• A small pot of rosemary or thyme doubles as a favor and natural scent. Find it at Spice Traveler or any area grocer.

Playtime on the Frontier

SEPTEMBER 12TH | 10 AM-3 PM

Childhood in pioneer days was filled with simple joys. From handmade toys and board games to the excitement of riding early bicycles, play was an important part of frontier life. Come explore the various games, toys, and activities that kept pioneer children entertained. Visitors will have the chance to make and take home their own handcrafted pioneer toy.

OCTOBER 10TH | 10 AM-3 PM

Autumn harvests brought families together to prepare hearty meals from local crops and game. Learn how pioneers turned their harvest into delicious dishes that sustained them throughout the colder months. Visitors will explore traditional recipes, see cooking demonstrations, and have the chance to make and take home their own spice mix and recipe card.

Thank YOU SPONSORS

The success of the Tunnel to Towers fundraising event on June 1 & 2 would not have been possible without the extraordinary generosity of you: THE SPONSORS!

Your support is more than a contribution — it is a powerful investment in the lives of America’s heroes and the families who sacrifice so much for our freedom and safety.

Because of your partnership, this special event will help advance the mission of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation: honoring the legacy of fallen first responders and military service members while supporting catastrophically injured veterans, Gold Star families, and first responder families across our nation.

Your commitment demonstrates the very best of our community — compassion, patriotism,

and a willingness to stand beside those who have dedicated their lives to serving others. From local businesses and organizations to individual supporters, each sponsor plays an essential role in making this event meaningful and impactful.

Together, we created 2 unforgettable days of community, remembrance, and generosity at The Club at Prescott Lakes. Your sponsorship helps ensure that every guest experiences not only a wonderful event, but also the deeper purpose behind it — giving back to those who gave everything.

On behalf of the event organizers, volunteers, and beneficiaries, thank you for your leadership, your kindness, and your unwavering support of the Tunnel to Towers mission.

KEVIN & MELANIE PALUCH FAMILY TRUST

Uncork your Creativityat WineNBind

BY BLAKE HERZOG, PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALAN CHEUNG

Bookbinding is an art that transcends media. It transfixes book lovers who get to explore the structure behind their favorite objects while flexing their graphic artistry skills. Visually creative people can connect with words in a new way as they interpret them with arresting imagery so a bypasser will stop to pick it up.

Alan Cheung is a Prescott Valley CT technician with a woodworking hobby, married to a voracious reader for whom he crafted an elaborate Beauty and the Beastthemed home library.

Now he’s just opened a studio at Pine Ridge Marketplace, WineNBind, where people can gather in a social setting to take a bookbinding class and, if they choose, imbibe to loosen some of their creative juices for the task.

“The idea actually just came on a whim from doomscrolling at work and it popped up,” Cheung says. “I was looking at some stuff about library construction ideas and something about this came up and I started watching it and I was like, ‘Oh, this seems interesting.’ And I figured it might be a fun thing that if I get into it, would be an activity my wife and I could share.”

He definitely got into it, making visually impressive “dragon-scale” covers for the five volumes of Christopher Paolini’s The Inheritance Cycle for a friend’s daughter.

He learned “wine and bind” workshops have been held in locations scattered throughout the country, but couldn’t find any permanent businesses based on the concept. “So it’s unique,” he says.

CLASSY FUN

Cheung, who has made about 100 book covers since he started, taught one bookbinding class at a friend’s house this spring and is eager to offer them to the public now.

Bookbinding workshop fees can run into the hundreds of dollars depending on how involved they get, so his base offering is a $35 introductory class where students can learn the basics and gauge their interest in pursuing it.

You’ll be supplied with a box full of tools you’ll be familiar with if you’re a crafty Cathy (though no experience is required for the class): scissors, pens, pencils, rulers, rotary cutter, utility knife, paper cutter, silicone brushes, parchment paper, etc., plus the book board that is the backbone of the cover and copious amounts of craft glue to hold it all together.

You can choose one of the fiction or nonfiction paperbacks from Cheung’s bookshelf or bring your own. It can be a dog-eared favorite you’d like to spiff up for yourself or as a gift, a personal journal (pre- or post-journaling), your own masterpiece, whatever you desire.

Not all books work equally well for this kind of makeover, since some covers aren’t as easy to tear off and replace as others.

“There’s certain things I would caution people against, like if it’s an heirloom, or maybe it’s like a family bible, or it’s like a hundred years old,” Cheung says.

“You probably don’t want to do that. The paper is a little weird, and the binding and the glue they use can be different. You want to take that to a professional press. This is more of a recreational kind of thing,” he adds.

Next, you’ll choose the cloth or paper you want to cover the book, a simple but luxurious suede is standard or multicolored paper for an upcharge.

Soon you will rip the cover off of your book.

“Here’s the fun part. Also the part my wife can’t stand because she’s very much a book person,” Cheung says. But you’ll hold onto the front cover, because Cheung likes to have students sign their names to it so he can staple it to the wall as a memento.

What follows is roughly an hour of measuring, cutting, folding and gluing the various components of an elegantly bound hardcover, from the couple of stiff blank

sheets at the very front and back to the colored endbands at the top and bottom of the spine and a ribbon bookmark glued into the spine.

Cover art in the starter class usually will be a Cricut label with the title and author; for an additional fee an image or pattern of your choice can be laser-engraved onto the book. If you have an original design you can pick it up the next day, Cheung says.

Classes are 90 minutes with a 30-minute buffer at the end and can have up to 10 people, which can be any combination of friends or family groups, couples out for a date night and anyone else looking for something to do.

It helps if you have a background in arts and crafts activities and/or are a book nerd, but anyone with a use for and appreciation of the tactile, nondigital book will have a memorable experience and come out of it with a one-of-a-kind souvenir.

The real point is to get out, relax and socialize, with or without wine for lubrication.

“This is just like the sip and paint classes. You’re not meant to make works of art here,” Cheung says.

He has found a new appreciation for the written word through his bookbinding adventures and enjoys

(located behind the Hilton Garden Inn)

Dinner, Dancing, Silent Auction, Live Auction, Mystery Bags, Plus Raffles and Much More ……

LIVE

Dance Performances by THE BEES KNEES TICKETS: $125 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 5:30PM

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GET CONNECTED! Follow us for all the exciting happenings at the Center.

PRESENTING SPONSOR

Welcome to a Season of Art and Music at Sharlot Hall Museum

BY STUART ROSEBROOK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SHARLOT HALL MUSEUM PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHARLOT HALL MUSEUM ARCHIVES

As Executive Director of Sharlot Hall Museum, few moments fill me with more pride than welcoming our community back for two annual celebrations close to our hearts. This fall, we have something truly special in store, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

THE 28TH ANNUAL PRESCOTT INDIAN ART MARKET

On the weekend of Sept. 19 and 20, we open our grounds for the 28th annual Prescott Indian Art Market, our treasured Native American fine arts celebration. This juried show brings together approximately 80 of the finest Native artists working today. You’ll find an incredible range of art media from oil painting and beadwork to pottery and weaving.

This is more than a market. It’s a full celebration of Indigenous culture

featuring art, music, live performances and hands-on artist demonstrations. Every corner offers a chance to connect with artists and the stories woven into their work.

I’m especially thrilled to introduce this year’s featured artist Delmar Polacca, a gifted Hopi pottery artist whose craftsmanship reflects deep tradition and skill. Meeting him and seeing his work in person will be a highlight of the weekend.

Tickets are just $15, and I promise you another amazing show.

THE 42ND FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL

Now for news I’ve been eager to announce. After seven years away, our beloved Folk Music Festival is coming home. The 42nd Folk Music Festival

returns to our historic grounds on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This daylong celebration reunites audiences and performers in the setting we all cherish. There’s nothing quite like folk music drifting across the museum’s grounds on a crisp autumn day. We’re also hosting a special limited-seating private concert with the national group The Folk Legacy Trio on Friday, Oct. 2 at 6 p.m. Seats are limited, so plan ahead if you’d like to join us.

JOIN US THIS FALL

I hope you’ll mark your calendars and celebrate with us. And don’t forget to check our events calendar on the museum’s website for even more exciting happenings throughout the year. We can’t wait to see you here. Visit sharlothallmuseum.org for more.

STILL SEARCHING for You

BY TOD CHRISTENSEN

Appearances can deceive, or at least mislead —

My smile is real, my joy is true, but in my eyes you may read An emptiness I can’t quite name, though sometimes I forget. I push it away, thinking it selfish, as the world owes me no debt.

Yet, every so often, something stirs, reminding me of you — For just a moment, even a second, then like a bird, the thought flew.

Though we’ve never met, or maybe we knew each other too well, We were more than the best of friends; in complete love, we fell.

But perhaps it wasn’t in this life, or this time, or this place, And I can’t stop wondering, even though I can’t picture your face.

But when I close my eyes, the image is faint, yet I can still see your heart, And so, though I never stop searching, each day, I again must start.

I thought I’d found you in every failed relationship I’d had, But when they weren’t you, all that remained was anger and sad.

Then someone said, “What if you’ve discovered the truest of love, But you’re separated now — that’s why you search, high and low, under and above?”

Was that you, when, as strangers, our eyes met in the busy airport, And I felt a sense of knowing, though the contact was short?

Or was it the fragrance that caught my attention that day in the crowd — You trying to speak to me, yet unable to scream out loud?

Or am I just a fool, like all fools, hoping to believe in something not there?

Maybe these thoughts are just a silent cry of longing, of despair.

But I can’t give up, for I still believe my soul is not just one, but two. So I will walk through this world, always looking, always searching for you.

Where to Go when PRESCOTT NATIONAL FOREST FEELS TOO CROWDED

STORY BY BLAKE HERZOG, PHOTOS BY JULIE TURETZKY

Prescott National Forest is a 1.25 million-acre outdoor wonderland that attracts more than 800,000 visitors each year. Its lakes, trails and recreation areas are vital resources for residents and visitors to Greater Prescott and all of Yavapai County.

Some adventurers who aren’t fond of crowds may think 800,000 others competing for space and fresh air is too high of a number, but they aren’t evenly distributed over these vast stretches of forest, chaparral and high desert. Other return visitors are simply looking for someplace new to visit.

Word from Forest Service personnel is these hidden gems really will let you get away from it all!

LYNX CREEK RUINS

Lynx Creek Ruins Trail No. 301 is a half-mile pathway near the Highland Center for Natural History. It leads to an observation platform overlooking the remnants of a structure that once housed around 30 people, 800 years ago.

They hunted on the lush creek bank and grew crops on “checkdams,” or terraced levels of rich soil. A self-guiding brochure about the ruins and surrounding piňion, oak and juniper woodlands is available.

WALKER CHARCOAL KILN

Not far south from the ruins is this 25-foot tall beehive-shaped tower of local granite, which has been on the National Register of Historic Places for 50 years. Standing in the middle of the forest, it was built around 1880 to fire oak logs from the surrounding area into charcoal to fuel the smelting of gold and silver from nearby mines.

Take Walker Road to Big Bug Mesa Road to Charcoal Kiln Road.

HYDE MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT

It’s a difficult climb to reach this 7,272-foot peak, the highest in the Santa Maria mountain range, from the Hyde Mountain Trail No. 6 west of Chino Valley, but the reward is a 360-degree panorama of Northern Arizona from Sawmill Flat in the west across the full Chino Valley to the east. A lookout trail built in 1936 is also on the National Register and boosts your signal that much further across the boundless terrain.

COPPER CANYON TRAILHEAD

The product of a collaboration between the National Forest and the Town of Camp Verde, this multiuse trailhead gives access to trails for hiking, biking, OHV riding and horseback riding.

Amenities include two ramadas with four picnic tables, four grills, a loading ramp and a waterless toilet, and ample parking and room for trailer turnarounds. It has no potable water, but is a gateway to adventure.

HORSETHIEF BASIN RECREATION AREA

This isolated, forested “sky island” is accessible via Spring Valley Access Road and Antelope Creek Road and through the small but iconic burg of Crown King. You’ll find several campgrounds and cabins.

Recreational options include Horsethief Lake, where fishing from nonmotorized boats is allowed, and eight trails, many of which travel into the less-developed and equally spectacular Castle Creek Wilderness.

CASTLE CREEK WILDERNESS

The lightly managed wilderness area surrounds Horsethief Basin on the eastern slope of the Bradshaw Mountains and spans

saguaro-studded desert up to mountain mahogany, juniper and scattered ponderosa stands. Wildlife is abundant and includes javelina, mule deer and some mountain lions, bobcats and skunks.

You can hike 30 miles of trails here, but summer temperatures can be as brutal as the terrain. Visit www.wilderness.net for more info.

MOUNT UNION

This is another superlative peak, the highest in the Bradshaws and all of Yavapai County at just short of 8,000 feet, with its own lookout tower on the National Register. It’s a 4-mile round trip to the top on Dandrea Trail No. 285 and Yankee Doodle Trail No. 284.

You’ll want to take your time; the path is well-shaded. You can enjoy a picnic on top of the helicopter landing pad to look across the landscape and imbibe the fresh mountain air.

SPRUCE MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT

Another expansive view awaits you at this forested peak near Groom Creek, which includes a picnic area and can be reached from Groom Creek Loop Trail No. 307 and by vehicle from Forest Road 52A when it isn’t raining or snowing.

The picnic site is behind a gate that is closed when the nearby lookout tower is not staffed, so you can call 928.443.8000 to make sure the gate is open.

MINGUS RIM TRAILS

This short series of trails around the apex of the mountain takes you past some incredible Verde Valley vistas in between the pinon, juniper and ponderosa living side by side. There’s a water tank that helps sustain the local wildlife, among them deer, raccoons, elk, bears and colorful butterflies.

Butterfly Trail No. 536 uses a series of primitive roads carved by miners in the late 1800s, while formidable alligator junipers shade its junction with trails No. 537 and No. 538.

juniper jamz

Saturday, Aug. 1

6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Saturday, Aug. 8

BOND JR. AND KYLE PHELAN 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Saturday, Aug. 15

6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Saturday, Aug. 22

6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Saturday, Aug. 29

6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Saturday, Sept. 5

Winning Awards AND MAKING CONNECTIONS!

BY KRISTY DIAZ-TRAHAN, RECREATION SERVICES

At Prescott Recreation Services, we often say parks and recreation connect people to people, people to nature and people to community. Few groups embody that mission more fully than the Over the Hill Gang.

In Prescott, trails are more than lines on a map. They are early morning walks with a friend, a challenging ride through the pines, a quiet moment among the boulders of the Granite Dells, and a reminder of why so many people choose to call this place home. They connect neighborhoods to open space, residents to recreation and visitors to the beauty and character of Prescott.

Much of that experience has been shaped by the Over the Hill Gang, a dedicated volunteer trail crew that has become an essential part of Prescott’s outdoor story. The group was the brainchild of City of Prescott Trails

and Natural Parklands Manager Chris Hosking roughly 19 years ago, when Prescott’s trail system was still relatively modest at 24 miles.

Today, thanks to vision, partnerships and countless volunteer hours, Prescott currently has 152 miles of trails within the city system — with the Over the Hill Gang helping build and care for most of them, ¼ mile at a time!

Their impact extends far beyond trail work. They connect people to people through shared purpose, friendship and volunteerism. They connect people to nature by creating access to some of Prescott’s most treasured landscapes. And they connect people to community by strengthening one of the amenities residents value most.

That commitment recently earned statewide recognition when the

Over the Hill Gang was selected as the Arizona Parks and Recreation Association’s Volunteer Program of the Year. It is a well-deserved honor and a reflection of the tremendous role volunteers play in supporting the City’s Recreation Services Department and the quality of life enjoyed throughout Prescott.

Our Parks and Recreation Master Plan affirmed what many of us already knew: trail access and participation are among the highest priorities for our community. The Over the Hill Gang is a powerful example of why.

Their work reminds us the best parks and recreation systems are not built by amenities alone, but by people who care enough to invest in the places — and one another — that make a community thrive.

CHRONIC INFLAMMATION SimpleMakeChanges to TAME

BY BLAKE HERZOG

“Inflammation” is a word that’s constantly tossed around in discussions about health, a term not everyone understands except to know that it’s bad. It’s actually not in all cases, like when your body responds to an infection or injury by containing the threat, initiates the healing process and then returns to normal functioning.

Chronic inflammation is what we need to watch out for, but it’s difficult to detect.

It occurs when the immune system continues to respond, usually at a lower intensity, when there is no immediate outside threat. Most people have developed at least some of it by the time they reach age 60.

Chemicals and proteins sent to attack normally functioning organs create stress that harms them and contributes to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and gut microbiome imbalances.

The symptoms of chronic inflammation can also signify other conditions but include fatigue, difficulty sleeping, depression or other mental health conditions, joint or muscle pain, digestive issues like constipation or diarrhea, weight loss or gain and others. A blood test is the one way to know for certain it’s happening.

The cause isn’t usually clear, but research suggests diet, obesity, environment, sleep problems, stress

and smoking are all factors. The Mayo Clinic recommends making these relatively simple changes to alleviate any chronic inflammation you may be experiencing.

CONSUME MORE PLANT-BASED FOOD

This is where we tell you to eat your vegetables, just like your mom always did. And fruit, too, though that isn’t as big of an ask. Science solidly backs this admonition because both food groups are rich with antioxidants, powerful nutrients that can limit, delay or repair damage from oxidative stress, which is a common side effect of inflammation.

Whole grains, legumes, green tea and some spices are other healthy plant food sources.

EMBRACE FERMENTED FOODS

Fermented foods with living microorganisms have been shown to reduce inflammation markers, or the chemicals found in blood tests that indicate it’s happening in your body. Examples include yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha and miso, but read the packaging to make sure it includes “live and active cultures.”

SEEK OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

Your body cannot make these essential acids on its own and needs them to support cell structure and communication, as well as tame inflammation.

Omega-3s are famously abundant in salmon, sardines and other fatty fish as well as chia seeds, walnuts, pecans, flaxseed and soybeans (including edamame).

CUT BACK SUGAR, PROCESSED FOOD AND RED MEAT

High blood sugar prompts multiple responses from your immune system that result in chronic inflammation. Processed food can alter bacteria, cause blood sugar spikes and lacks healthful fiber. Red meat contains several compounds, including saturated fat, that provoke an inflammatory response.

Some of the worst offenders are sugary soda, candy and cereals; packaged baked pastries and refined carbs including white pasta, rice and bread; deli meats, bacon, beef, pork and mutton; and fats like shortening and lard.

THINK ABOUT THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

The Mayo Clinic endorses this muchlauded eating plan, based on the ingredients of many of the cuisines found on the north and south coasts of this iconic body of water. You can read our separate story about it for more details on page 158.

PRIORITIZE MODERATE EXERCISE

Anyone who lives a sedentary lifestyle is prone to chronic inflammation due to fat accumulation, lack of antiinflammatory chemicals released through muscle contractions and other factors. Physical activity is tied to improvement in heart and brain health and increased energy that fuels more positive exercise to benefit both.

Experts’ standard recommendation is for individuals to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week, which is defined as movement that raises heart rate and causes heavier breathing

but doesn’t prevent conversation. Heavy weight training with adequate rest in between bouts also has been shown to reduce inflammation.

GET THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SLEEP

This may sound like another broken record, but getting enough sleep is essential to maintaining proper health. The ideal amount for each of us does differ to some degree, but the fact is that most adults require seven to nine hours of sleep nightly to function optimally. When that doesn’t happen it triggers inflammatory chemicals to flood the brain and body.

Sleep advice tends to run along the familiar beats like “keeping your room cool and dark” and “avoid screens for an hour before bed.” These usually work, but if you’re still restless try other strategies like moving to a different room to quiet racing thoughts or “cognitive shuffling,” where you choose a neutral word, then focus on thinking of words that start with each letter of the first one.

REGULATE STRESS

Emotional stress can trigger or exacerbate inflammatory response by making it harder for your immune system to slow and stop its response to threats both real and perceived. It triggers the release of proteins that combat infections and help heal injuries, but if they’re constantly firing it will bombard your organs and weaken them.

The cognitive shuffling discussed above is one method of reducing stress out of many others. Yoga, tai chi, meditation and other contemplative practices are among the most researched and recommended approaches. You also can reach out to friends or family, read relaxing books, exercise to fight negative thoughts and restart positive processes, and get more sleep.

STOP SMOKING

Smoking isn’t as common as most other health issues, with about 14.4% of Yavapai County residents estimated to smoke, but those who do risk flooding their bodies with damaging toxins and chemicals that trigger cytokines and other inflammatory proteins.

Paddle your Fitness

to Next Level on Prescott’s Lakes

There’s no better way to get an upperbody workout while plunging into the beauty of our area than with a kayak or paddle board.

Whether your lake of choice takes you to the base of awe-inspiring granite boulders or plops you into the middle of a lush pine forest, your lower back, abs and arms are bound to become toned and lean as you push yourself through the water, and the associated cardio workout will do the same for your heart.

Stand-up paddle boarding brings balance, posture and even foot strength to the mix, providing a true full-body workout few activities can surpass.

Watercraft rental companies serve all of Greater Prescott’s major kayaking/paddle boarding destinations, or you can bring your own. All are located on the area’s extensive trail system, so if you have an inflatable kayak you can hike to other lakes, too.

All are accessible year-round except for snow closures, but onsite rentals and other services are typically confined to the summer months.

CITY OF PRESCOTT

Watson Lake — 3101 W. Watson Lake Rd., City of Prescott. The best-known of the lakes, Watson provides a calm surface on which to slip between soaring rock walls in the Granite Dells while exploring hidden coves and passageways between outcroppings found across the lake.

Willow Lake — 1497 Heritage Park Rd., City of Prescott. Just to the west of Watson, Willow Lake is the city’s largest and is also shaped by the granite greatness of the Dells, which line its eastern shore. It’s typically the least busy of the city lakes, so ideal for beginners or those looking for a less hectic pace.

Goldwater Lake — 2900 Goldwater Lake Rd. (just off Senator Highway), City of Prescott. The smallest of the City of Prescott’s three lakes, Goldwater Lake is tucked into the ponderosa forest on the southwest side of Prescott. Its smaller size and picturesque shore combine for an outstanding experience, though beginners might want to try someplace else as it quickly gets congested during the busy season.

PRESCOTT NATIONAL FOREST

Lynx Lake — 4505 N. Forest Service Rd. 611, Prescott National Forest. The lake nestled just off the southeastern corner of the City of Prescott is operated by the U.S. Forest Service, and like Goldwater Lake is lined with trees and grass to offer a cool respite from the desert or grasslands.

WATERCRAFT RENTAL

Prescott Outdoors

928.925.1410

www.prescottoutdoors.com

Offers seasonal onsite kayak, canoe and paddle board rentals at Goldwater Lake. Online reservations are required.

Born to Be Wild Adventures

928.499.5621

www.b2bwild.com

This mobile service will bring kayaks or paddle boards to meet clients at Willow, Watson or Goldwater lakes any time of the year, weather permitting. Reservations required.

Parking Fees

City of Prescott daily parking fee is $5, (valid for any of the lakes). The daily parking fee for Prescott National forest is $5 (free on Wednesdays).

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•We are the only dental sleep practice that is in-network with most medical insurance plans. Traditional Medicare Patients typically have no out of pocket costs for testing or oral appliance treatment.

Mediterranean Diet: Plant-Focused for Health

The Mediterranean diet has been endorsed by health experts since the 1960s and is based on the traditional way of eating found in Greece, Italy and other countries located around the sea, which have been found to have considerably lower rates of chronic illness than the U.S.

Following this diet means eating plenty of vegetables and fruit, nuts, whole grains, legumes, olive oil and smallish amounts of lean meats like chicken and fish; moderate red wine consumption is acceptable. There are fewer carbohydrates and meats than found in the typical U.S. diet, but plenty of fiber and “good” fats, including polyunsaturated and monounsaturated.

Following the Mediterranean diet has been shown to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and strokes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and muscular weakness with aging, as well as extending overall lifespan.

Surprisingly, it doesn’t involve much white pasta or bread; refined carbohydrates are discouraged, as are highly processed foods of any kind. Here are some ways to begin incorporating

more healthy foods and fats into your diet:

EAT VEGGIES, ALL THE TIME

Be creative in how you fit them into every meal and snack, whether it’s in an omelet, muffin, smoothie, salad or main dish.

Try to consume two to three servings of fruits, defined as a medium-sized piece of fruit or a cup of chopped fruit. At least four servings of veggies, such as a cup of them raw or a half-cup cooked, are also recommended.

EVOO ON EVERYTHING

Don’t go overboard, but you can lightly drizzle extra virgin olive oil on salad, fish, chicken and veggies. Use it instead of butter or other animal fats and vegetable oils.

Olive oil is calorically dense, so make sure it fits into your daily calorie allowance. One to four tablespoons per day is the usual guidance with this diet.

SOMETHING FISHY

Enjoy two to three servings of fish or shellfish, about three to five ounces each, per week.

If you’ve never been a fish fan, start out with mild white fish such as cod or mahimahi, cook salmon in foil with orange slices and white onion or simply make sure you get enough lean protein from other sources, including poultry and legumes.

GET COMFORTABLE WITH WHOLE GRAINS

This means working with grain that’s more or less in its original form such as brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, barley, farro, even popcorn (air-popped, olive oil in lieu of butter). Whole-wheat bread, pasta and similar products also work.

Three ounces of whole grains a day are suggested for those eating around 2,000 calories per day. This can be a half-cup of cooked rice or pasta or a slice of bread.

RED WINE WITH CAUTION

Women are advised by the New England Journal of Medicine’s version of this diet to stick to a 3-ounce serving per day, and men to 5 ounces. Don’t start drinking if you either can’t or don’t want to.

by

SERVICES:

Cleanings/Preventative Care

Candid Pro Clear Aligners

Crown & Bridge NOW OFFERING Same-day Crowns!

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Metal-free Fillings

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A Road to Ruining THE SKIN YOU’RE IN ‘TANMAXXING’:

We’ve known for decades that overexposure to the UV rays in sunlight can trigger melanoma and other forms of skin cancer. Multiple generations have grown up with that knowledge. Yet we’ve never really fallen out of love with the tan. It signifies wealth, youth, athleticism and health in our culture. Many think their body looks thinner and better-defined with a tan and feel more confident when they have that “sun-kissed glow.”

This summer social media has been elevating tanning influencers, many of them spreading misinformation and/ or encouraging downright dangerous practices like flipping the UV index on its head and heading outside with little or no sunscreen when it’s at an 8 or 9 (8 and higher is considered very high to extreme). We sat down with Shelly Crossman of Chino Valley’s Dermatology by Shelly, a Dermatology Certified Nurse Practitioner (DCNP), to break down some of the currently circulating myths and the facts everyone needs to know about tanning.

Q: One of the oldest and most widely circulating pieces of information is about the “base tan” that supposedly protects you from getting burned. Any truth to this?

A: No. A base tan gives you roughly the same protection as an SPF of 2 to 4 — far less than what you can buy over the counter. The only way your skin tans is by damaging the DNA in your cells; a tan is actually your skin’s response to injury. And ironically, studies find that people who get a base tan before vacation end up with more sunburns, not fewer, because they feel protected and spend more time in the sun without sunscreen.

Q: Do sunscreens cause cancer?

A: This is something I hear quite a bit from patients, and I understand the concern. There is no good evidence that chemical sunscreens have ever caused cancer in a human being.

What happened is that benzene — a known carcinogen — was found as a manufacturing contaminant in some products, which were then pulled from shelves. Benzene was never an ingredient. The evidence that sunscreen prevents skin cancer is far stronger than any theoretical concern. For those still worried, I always recommend mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide — they sit on top of the skin and are not absorbed into the body.

Shelly Crossman of Chino Valley’s Dermatology by Shelly, a Dermatology Certified Nurse Practitioner (DCNP)

Q: Does wearing sunscreen reduce the amount of vitamin D your body absorbs?

A: It’s a very common worry, and I get why patients ask. Sunscreen does block the UVB rays your skin uses to make vitamin D, but in practice people don’t apply enough or reapply perfectly, so they still get some UV exposure. Most studies show regular sunscreen users maintain adequate vitamin D levels, though one large trial found that very consistent high-SPF use led to modestly lower levels. The bottom line: keep wearing sunscreen for cancer prevention and talk to your doctor about whether you need a vitamin D supplement.

Q: Does spending time in the sun reduce blood pressure and heart disease risk?

A: There is early research suggesting UVA light may cause the skin to release nitric oxide, which can temporarily lower blood pressure. But the research is very preliminary — one clinical trial found blood pressure dropped briefly after UVA sessions but did not stay lower over 24 hours, and a large genetic study found no causal link between sun exposure and cardiovascular disease. Meanwhile, UV radiation is a Group 1 carcinogen. Over 92% of melanomas in the U.S. are attributable to UV exposure, and millions of non-melanoma skin cancers are diagnosed every year. Trading all of that for an unproven, temporary dip in blood pressure is not a good deal.

Q: What can you say to people who just feel better and think they look better after they have spent time in the sun and have a tan?

A: I completely understand, because I used to be one of those people. I tanned in tanning beds and laid out in the sun with baby oil before I knew what I was doing to my skin. So I’m not judging anyone — I get it. There’s a real biological reason it feels good: UV light triggers beta-endorphin release, the same feel-good chemical behind a runner’s high, binding to the same brain receptors as opioids. Studies estimate that 39% to 53% of routine tanners meet criteria for addiction. That “I just feel better” feeling is your brain’s opioid system talking, not a sign that tanning is healthy. Indoor tanning increases melanoma risk by 27%, and starting

before age 30 raises it even higher. You can still enjoy being outside — I still do — but now I protect myself while I’m out there, and I encourage my patients to do the same.

Q: Do those with darker skin tones need to wear sunscreen?

A: Absolutely. Darker skin has more melanin, but more protection does not mean full protection. When melanoma occurs in Black patients, the five-year survival rate is around 59% compared to roughly 90% for White patients, largely because it’s caught later. Hispanic patients face a similar disparity at about 83% survival. Beyond cancer, visible light can trigger hyperpigmentation and melasma, and darker skin is especially vulnerable. That’s why I recommend tinted mineral sunscreens for all my

patients, but especially for those with darker skin — they contain iron oxides that block visible light in addition to UV, significantly reducing hyperpigmentation and melasma recurrence compared to UV-only sunscreens.

Q: Is using sunscreen with tanning oil effective protection?

A: This sounds like a compromise but actually backfires. Sunscreen works by forming a thin, even film, and most people already apply only about half the recommended amount. Layering greasy tanning oil on top can displace the sunscreen, reduce adhesion, and cause it to come off much faster when you sweat or swim. The tanning oil itself offers essentially no UV protection — plant-based and cosmetic oils typically have SPF values between 1 and 3. You end up with weakened sunscreen underneath an oil that does nothing, and a false sense of security keeping you in the sun longer.

Q: What’s the strangest tanning myth you’ve heard of through your patients?

A: One of my patients told me they were using beef tallow as a sunblock after reading online that it works as well as any sunscreen. I appreciate that people are looking for natural alternatives — I really do — but beef tallow has no UV-filtering properties whatsoever. Researchers have tested a wide range of natural oils — coconut oil, carrot seed oil, shea butter, olive oil, — and found nearly all have SPF values between 1 and 3, essentially meaningless. I understand why people turn to the internet for health advice, but when it comes to skin cancer prevention, the stakes are too high to rely on unverified claims. If someone is concerned about conventional sunscreen ingredients, that’s a conversation worth having with your dermatology provider. There are excellent mineral options — zinc oxide and titanium dioxide — that provide real, proven protection. There’s always a safe alternative; you just have to ask.

Beauty & Wellness

A Borgata Salon

3755 Karicio Ln., Ste. A

Prescott

928.443.9119

www.aborgatasalon.com

A Dream by Day

721 E. Sheldon St.

Prescott 928.710.4753 www.adreambyday.com

Aria Aesthetics & Permanent Makeup

1955 Commerce Center Cir., Ste. A

Prescott

928.298.5974

www.aria-aesthetics-pmu.com

Aphrodite Aesthetics & Wellness

3619 Crossings Dr., Ste. A

Prescott

928.362.7773 www.aphroditeaestheticsaz.com

A Valley of Vitality

2047 Willow Creek Rd.

Prescott 928.442.6026 www.avalleyofvitality.com

Bella Luna Beauty Salon & Supply

3147 N. Robert Rd.

Prescott Valley 928.775.6706 www.bellalunahair.com

Cashmere Day Spa & Wellness

8600 E. Valley Rd., Ste. D

Prescott Valley 928.499.8271

www.cashmereinclusive.com

Dermatology & Skin Care by Shelly

1598 Susan A Williams Way, Ste. E

Chino Valley

928.499.2915

www.dermatologybyshelly.com

Desert Rose Retreat

Salon + Medspa 701 S. Ruth St.

Prescott

928.778.9798

www.desertroseretreat.com

Enhanced Beauty by Reagan 1320 Iron Springs Rd., Ste. B

Prescott

928.713.5271

www.enhancedbeautybyreagan.as.me

Era Salon & Spa

515 E. Sheldon St.

Prescott

928.778.0860

www.erasalonandspa.com

Essence Hair Salon

705 W. Hillside Ave.

Prescott 928.778.0632

www.facebook.com/ EssenceRelaxation

Exclusively Glamorous 8140 E. AZ-69

Prescott Valley 928.910.1747

www.exclusivelyglamorous.com

Hair by Joey 1559 & 1569 W. Gurley St.

Prescott 928.396.1695 www.hairbyjoey.com

Jess D Aesthetics

1320 Iron Springs Rd., Ste. B

Prescott 928.713.6150

www.aboostwellness.net

La Lumière

214 N. McCormick St.

Prescott 928.899.7021

www.lalumierelaser.com

Local Body Bar 1519 W. Gurley St., Ste. D

Prescott

928.224.9014 www.localbodybar.com

LUXE | ABOOST

1320 Iron Springs Rd.

Prescott 928.910.4111 www.aboostwellness.net

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continued from page 166

Nyla D’ Salon

144 N. Montezuma St.

Prescott 928.445.8430 www.nyladsalon.com

Prescott Medical Aesthetics & Wellness

172 E. Merritt St., Ste. E

Prescott 928.277.7414 www.prescottbotox.com

Prescott Skin Care

1000 Willow Creek Rd., Ste. G

Prescott 928.275.1121 www.prescottskin.com

R & R Aesthetics

100 N. Summit Ave., Ste. D

Prescott 928.460.3866

ritualrest.glossgenius.com

Rogers Academy of Beauty 2375 E. AZ-69

Prescott 928.848.9929 www.rogersacademyofbeauty.com

Salon Tru Blu & Day Spa

1436 W. Gurley St.

Prescott 928.445.4126 www.salontrublu.com

Salud Spa

309 E. Gurley St.

Prescott 480.384.0380 www.salud-spa.com

Skin Lounge by J 8148 E. AZ-69

Prescott Valley 928.515.3006 www.facebook.com/skinloungebyj

Skin Perfection Med Spa

3190 Clearwater Dr.

Prescott 928.541.0003 www.skinperfectionaz.com

SkinPlus MedSpa 1747 Willow Creek Rd.

Prescott 928.582.0716 www.skinplusmedspa.com

Sola Salons

1046 Willow Creek Rd., Ste. 105

Prescott 402.680.1206 www.solasalonstudios.com/ locations/willow-creek-road

Strada Salon 931 12th Pl.

Prescott 928.778.2028 www.stradasalonaz.com

Studio ROX

720 N. Montezuma St., Ste. A Prescott 928.351.1555 www.studio-rox.com

The Hormone Zone Med Spa

720 N. Montezuma St., Ste. C Prescott 928.813.0366 www.hormonezonemedspa.com

The Rancher’s Wife Salon 2235 S. AZ-89

Chino Valley 928.636.4637 www.facebook.com/ TheRanchersWifeSalon

The Reset Aesthetics and Wellness 1470 W. Gurley St.

Prescott 928.277.8860 www.theresetaesthetics.com

Whiskey and Willow Salon and Boutique 1511 W. Gurley St.

Prescott 928.642.3236 www.whiskeyandwillowaz.com

Wilson Aesthetics Beauty & Wellness

8196 E. Florentine Rd. Prescott Valley 928.350.5484 www.wilsonaestheticsaz.com

HOURS:

TUESDAY: 11-4

WEDNESDAY:

THURSDAY: 11-4

Clean Beauty is Complex BUT WORTHWHILE

It sounds simple enough: don't use products that could hurt you or the planet. But once you start reading ingredient labels, "clean beauty" turns into a maze of over 10,000 flagged chemicals, murky labeling rules, and product categories where truly safe options are still hard to find. The good news is you don't have to overhaul your entire routine overnight — small swaps in the products you use every day can meaningfully cut your exposure to ingredients linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and environmental harm. Here's where to start.

The definition of “clean beauty” when it comes to product use is easy to embrace: Don’t make or use cosmetics that could harm us or the environment. It may not surprise you that it’s incredibly hard to reach that goal. The list of ingredients of concern is more than 10,000 items long and is always evolving. Labeling requirements are lax, and in some areas there still are very few “clean” options.

And yet this is a goal we must keep moving toward, even if it takes years or decades more to arrive at it. We’re talking about potentially saving ourselves from cancer, reproductive issues, allergies, slowed metabolism and other threats to our health, and saving our planet from additional water, land and air pollution.

Don’t let this intimidate you, though. The best way to start making a difference is to focus on products you use daily and make any changes you’re able to.

Let’s take a look at a few of the basics.

ANTIPERSPIRANT

There is no definitive link between using antiperspirant containing aluminum and breast cancer, though breast cancer patients are told to avoid it during radiation treatment.

Skin absorbs very little aluminum but the amount increases from .01% to .06% after shaving, so one way to be safer is to switch to natural deodorant after you shave.

MOISTURIZER

Many of the most-damaging compounds consumers are told to watch out for are regularly found in moisturizers. Among them are “fragrance” or “perfume” (catchall terms for ingredients in scented products that don’t have to be individually listed, including phthalates), parabens, PEG (polyethylene glycol) and BHA and BHT (preservatives that are likely carcinogenic and endocrine disruptors).

Retinol’s inclusion on some lists has been controversial, and it is not recommended for pregnant women, but can be more safely used at night to avoid its possible hastening of damage to sun-exposed skin.

SUNSCREEN

Mineral sunscreens only containing zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide scatter UV rays when they hit your skin, sometimes leaving a white cast. The much more common chemical sunscreens include well-known hormone disruptors like oxybenzone and octinoxate which wash off your

body and into water systems when you shower or swim, damaging wastewater, plants and coral reefs.

FOUNDATION

This and the other skin care products you leave on your skin all day are particularly important to keep clean. The most common ingredients you need to watch for with foundation are parabens (linked to thyroid disruption, reproductive organ harm including cancers and obesity) and ethanolamines, aka MET, DEA and TEA. Research is limited but links to allergies, hormone disruption and inhibited fetal brain development have been reported.

SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER

There are more options here than a few years ago as large companies put more money and effort into finding “clean” formulas that work. The right one for your depends on your hair type, but products excluding sulfates along with the ingredients listed above will qualify.

Style & Services

Adorn Interiors

134 N. Cortez St.

Prescott

928.445.3505

www.adorninteriordesigns.com

Afterglow Jewelers

7025 E. Florentine Rd., Ste. 106

Prescott Valley 928.515.3552

www.afterglowjewelers.com

Amish Home Decor

2710 N. Glassford Hill Rd.

Prescott Valley 928.277.8267

www.amishfurniturepv.com

Artful Eye Jewelry Design Center

124 S. Montezuma St.

Prescott

928.445.5570

www.artfuleyejewelers.com

Bashford Courts

130. W. Gurley St.

Prescott 928.642.7984 www.bashfordcourts.com

Bella Home Furnishings

115 W. Willis St.

Prescott

928.458.7275

Black Arrow Jewelry & Art

Blush & Cactus Boutique

121 N. Cortez St.

Prescott

928.277.1174

www.blushandcactus.com

Carrie Weldon Gallery & Boutique

219 W. Gurley St.

Prescott

928.910.6402

www.carrieweldon.com

Classy N Sassy

220 W. Goodwin St., No. 3

Prescott

928.776.7467

www.facebook.com/ NewClassyNSassyBoutique

Creations in Thread

1046 Willow Creek Rd., Ste. 101

Prescott

928.800.2270

www.creationsinthread.com

Drawn West

134 W. Gurley St.

Prescott

928.778.5725

www.drawnwestaz.com

Drifter’s

130 W. Gurley St., Ste. 101

Prescott

928.458.7131

www.prescottdrifters.com

Fancy That!

109 S. Granite St. & 124 S. Granite St. No. A

Prescott

928.445.1883

www.fancythatprescott.com

continued on page 174

Authenticity

continued from page 172

Fite Girls Boutique

210 S. Montezuma St.

Prescott

928.445.3524 www.facebook.com/fitelikeagirl

French Hen Boutique

212 W. Gurley St.

Prescott 928.445.3424

Frontier Village Center 1841 E. AZ-69

Prescott 928.777.0532 www.frontier-village.com

Goldmine Jewelers

106 S. Montezuma St.

Prescott 928.442.9167

Gypsy Vibes Boutique

103 N. Cortez St.

Prescott 928.583.9554 www.gypsyvibesboutique.com

IdentiFreed

102 Montezuma St.

Prescott

602.413.8909 www.identifreed.org

Joe’s Furniture

3787 Karicio Ln.

Prescott 928.778.7593 www.joesfurnitureaz.com

Lamerson’s Jewelry

105 N. Cortez St.

Prescott 928.771.0921 www.lamersonjewelry.com

Lost in Socks

130 W. Gurley St., Ste. 303

Prescott 928.445.1833 www.facebook.com/LostInSocks

Mariposas Lifestyle Boutique

225 W. Gurley St.

Prescott 928.583.2778

Old Firehouse Plaza

220 W. Goodwin St.

Prescott

928.925.6111 www.oldfirehouseplaza.com

Palomino Lifestyle Co.

107 E. Gurley St.

Prescott 928.350.6268 www.palominolifestyleco.com

Personal Touch Jeweler

377 N. Montezuma St., Ste. A-106

Prescott 928.420.8230

Prescott Consignment Galleries

415 S. Montezuma St.

Prescott 928.443.8665

Pine Ridge Marketplace

3250 Gateway Blvd.

Prescott 928.442.3605 www.pineridgemarketplace.com

Purple Clover Boutique

130 W. Gurley St., Ste. 205

Prescott 928.499.5195 www.purplecloverprescott.shop

Queen Esther’s Closet

7025 E. Florentine Rd., Ste. 104 Prescott Valley 928.899.5516

Raskin’s Jewelers

110 W. Gurley St. Prescott

928.445.6120

www.raskinsjewelers.com

Scarlett’s Curated Collection

107 N. Cortez St., Ste. 100

Prescott 928.227.2581 www.scarlettsinprescott.com

SMARTgirls Resale Fashion

7025 E. Florentine Rd., Ste. 107 Prescott Valley 928.772.1227 www.smartgirlsfashion.com

The Clothes Hound

122 S. Montezuma St. Prescott 928.771.0811

www.clotheshoundclothingco.com

The Hike Shack 104 N. Montezuma St. Prescott 928.443.8565 www.thehikeshack.com

Three Sisters Consignment

4077 N. AZ-89

Prescott 928.777.0107 www.threesistersconsignment.com

Wardrobe

520 W. Sheldon St., Ste. 2A Prescott 310.709.8099

Whatever Was

124 S. Granite St. Prescott 928.778.4186

www.facebook.com/pastafajole

CREATE YOUR OWN SingularStyle

Elevating your style isn’t about being on trend, it’s about being who you are and wearing what syncs with your personality throughout your life.

If the latest TikTok obsession is something you are oohing and ahhing over, it might be for you. But if your first response is “good grief,” that’s just as credible a sign you know yourself pretty well. Go with it.

Still, combining trends with changing body shapes, sizes and age can be a challenge. Maybe it’s time to reexamine how you present yourself and create and curate your best style — your best you.

Here are several principles to use while defining, redefining or refining your look:

LEARN WHAT YOU LIKE

Look for inspiration from your friends, family, influencers, films, video games, your own closet or wherever ideas present themselves. Simply copying someone almost never works, but choosing elements from one or two figures who have caught your eye can give you a great head start.

FILL IN THE BLANKS

Use items you already have or did have that always get compliments.

KNOW WHAT LOOKS GOOD ON YOU

If you haven’t settled on the styles and silhouettes that fit and flatter your figure, it’s time to find out.

Find and befriend a good tailor. This person will turn not-quiteperfect pieces into flawless outfits, whether an inch or two tighter or looser.

COVER YOUR BASES

Do you have staple pieces that fit you perfectly and can be dressed up or down with accessories for whatever occasion might arise?

This can vary seasonally and regionally, but in general you can look for:

Women — Midi dresses, white or off-white shirts, dependable dressy jeans, white sneakers, midsize heels, a black dress (little or long), black boots, blazers, trench coats and a selection of beautiful handbags.

Men — White T-shirts and dress shirts, white and blue buttondown shirts, dark blue jeans, khaki pants, black and brown lace-up shoes, casual and dressy jackets, a charcoal or navy suit.

Everybody — don’t forget the most fundamental building block of all — a good selection of well-sewn underwear so you’ll always have something that works with, not against, whatever outfit you wear.

PUT QUALITY FIRST

Once you get started shopping, focus on the quality of the merchandise you’re considering, ahead of designer labels or current trends.

DO A TEST RUN

If you’re looking to experiment with a wide variety of looks try renting clothes through Armoire, Nuuly or a similar website.

Choose substantial fabrics that will still be superior after more than a handful of washes and shoes that will hold their shape and texture through the beating they will inevitably take.

TREAT THEM WELL

Follow the care instructions for any garments, and don’t allow them to wad up even while they’re in the hamper.

Air-dry as many clothes as you can and fold them carefully, keeping clothes that must be hung on wood or padded hangers in the closet.

MJ Goodman

Owner, All Athletes Welcome Gym

Q: What is the biggest challenge of your job?

A: The biggest challenge of my job is the deep desire to always want to better my gym! It is a challenge because this has been a process over time since the day I created All Athletes Welcome Gym.

Resources, time and money have always changed the way things have gotten done, but the desire to better serve the public has always, and will always be there. So I feel blessed and grateful each day to have a challenge so fulfilling and meaningful.

Q: What is the greatest reward of your job?

A: At AAW gym we have such a great community of members, clients, travelers and trainers — it has been amazing to see the atmosphere of our space blossom into a unique training hub where so many folks are uplifted, educated and proud of the work that gets done.

I personally feel so blessed to know people on a deeper level as they challenge themselves physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. To have a space where I can witness people wanting to develop themselves is truly a gift.

Q: If you could have dinner with any 3-5 people (dead or alive) who would it be?

A: I would have dinner with my grandparents and great grandparents. As I have gotten older I really value and see the importance of family. I would love to know more about their stories, how their lives were shaped, what challenged them and their beliefs and be able to see them thrive in their prime of life!

I love asking questions and getting to know people of all walks of life, and wish I could have more time with my family elders to do so.

Q: What is the last book you read; what did you enjoy about it most?

A: I read too much to answer this question, ha ha. I have too many books going at once and too many things I love about them, it would be a novel! But, fun fact about me is I don’t read fictional books, ha ha.

Q: What is your favorite Prescott activity?

A: I really enjoy Prescott for the horse riding trails! One of my favorite activities is to take the horses out for quality time with my girlfriends to discuss life, God, business, personal goals and, of course, have laughter echo off of the rocks and trees out there in nature.

Disconnecting from being “busy” is so important to me, and in Prescott it is right out the back door!

“I personally feel so blessed to know people on a deeper level as they challenge themselves physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally.”

-MJ Goodman