Help our students come back to school ready to learn Chandler foster children need your help
BY KEVIN HARTKE
As students start enjoying the summer break, school administrators, teachers, City staff and countless volunteers are already busy preparing for the next school year. Unfortunately, thousands of children return to school unprepared and lack essential supplies, including undergarments and shoes.
Years ago, For Our City—Chandler participants identified that there was tremendous overlap and other inefficiencies involved with distributing backpacks and school supplies.
Operation Back to School Chandler became the community partnership that successfully addressed this need.
The citywide collaboration involves the City of Chandler, Chandler Unified School District and dozens of nonprofit, faith-based and private organizations. The 2015 Operation Back to School drive is expected to be the largest in Chandler’s history. Between 3,000 and 5,000 elementary, middle and high school students will be served at the event on Saturday, July 18.
In-kind donations are accepted until July 15, at various drop-off sites, including City Hall, Sunset Library and the Environmental Education Center. The most highly sought after items are shoes, socks, undergarments, uniforms and flash drives. Financial contributions also can be made online at www.backtoschoolchandler.org. Additional details about Operation Back to School can be obtained by calling (480) 782-2214.
At the event, many agencies will provide information about early literacy and after school programs and offer dental screenings, haircuts and many more services free of charge. The Chandler Unified School District also will provide transportation assistance to the site. Anyone needing transportation can ask for information by calling (480) 812-7650.
BY TERRY ROE
The month of May was “Foster Care Awareness Month,” and the media played an important role in bringing to our attention the crisis we are facing in our state. While the number of foster children is decreasing on a national level, it has increased by 56 percent in Arizona since 2007. We now count more than 17,000 children in the foster care system. The crisis is particularly alarming here in Chandler.
Our community has been identified as a target area as we have nearly three times more children removed from their parents by the Department of Child Safety Services than we have licensed families available to care for them. This means that the majority of the 369 children in Chandler are transferred to other communities. When such a displacement occurs, children not only lose their home, but they are disconnected from their neighborhood, school, friends and any other landmark they may be familiar with.
it takes to make a difference in children’s lives. Their genuine desire to help parents be successful is what sets them apart. The interview also covers services and resources available through AASK. One of the interesting facts about foster care is that many children enter the system with one or more siblings, but 75 percent of them are not placed together. AASK has developed a sibling program to help preserve and strengthen these relationships. Through the program, siblings can participate in activities together throughout the year and attend a week-long summer camp. This allows them to create memories and maintain bonds that otherwise would be compromised. I can relate to this program as five of my six siblings were separated through the foster care system. I only recently discovered that we were related and what they went through growing up. With programs like the ones offered by AASK, siblings have the opportunity to maintain family connections, if it is appropriate for them.
This year, Anthony Gleich and Barb Scott, with the organization Make an Investment in Love and Kindness, have taken the lead to work with volunteers to sort and organize all supplies. A volunteer registration system is available online on the dedicated website www.operationbacktoschool.org.
Volunteers are needed to assist with the inventory and to prepare backpacks and clothing items. On July 18, English- and Spanish-speaking volunteers are needed to set up the distribution site and guide families through the process. Post-event opportunities also are available.
Students seeking donations can attend the Operation Back to School event with or without their parents. In either case, they will be asked to show an identification card and a recent report card from a Chandler school. Operation Back to School will be a tremendous success because the Chandler community and the organizations that serve it are amazing. We have visionary leaders who understand that we can do more together by addressing needs that are greater than what any individual agency can accomplish alone. It is our hope that every student in Chandler will enjoy the summer break and come back in July ready and eager to broaden their worlds and understanding.
Kevin Hartke is the vice mayor of Chandler.
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To reverse this trend, the foster care agency Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK) reached out to the City and asked for our support. I invited Russ Funk, AASK’s director of community engagement, and Chandler residents Ron and Shannon Burnes to be interviewed on one of my “Chandler in Focus” television programs. Their testimonies address the need to encourage more families in Chandler to take action. Their stories are filled with love and dedication, yet they also address the fears and challenges that many people experience. Ron and Shannon have embarked on a personal mission to help families understand and maneuver through the foster parent licensing process. With four biological children, one adopted son and several foster children previously housed at their home, they truly understand what
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Being a licensed foster parent is extremely rewarding, but it is not easy. For those who wish to make a difference, but are not able to make this level of commitment at this time, there are many other ways to get involved. Volunteering to mentor or provide transportation for siblings to events are great ways to make a difference for a child in the Arizona foster care system. Everyone has a responsibility to understand the crisis we are facing. Let us improve the lives of children here in Chandler by reaching out to agencies that facilitate this process. A dedicated website has been created to address the needs we face in Chandler. Please check out www.chandlercares.org, and watch the “Chandler in Focus” interview at www.chandleraz.gov/video.
Terry Roe is a councilman for the City of Chandler.
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Community Commentary
Stay safe this summer with awareness, supervision
BY RENÉ LOPEZ
Summer is upon us, and plans are being made for Fourth of July celebrations, backyard pool parties and other outdoor activities. While everyone is enjoying the summer months, it is important to take into consideration safety measures to ensure your family gatherings do not turn tragic.
Swimming is a great way to cool off during the hot Arizona months while bringing family and friends together. Unlike what most of us think, pool drownings happen quickly and silently. Because children are naturally inquisitive and are always looking for ways to access and explore, it is important to know how to swim and become familiar with water safety.
about water awareness and gain a sense of confidence in the water.
There are three guidelines to follow to ensure pool safety: secure, supervise and train. First, secure entrances and exits to the pool area, and put away items that draw attention to children. Second, it is very important to have a designated water watcher supervise and focus on all those swimming with no other distractions. Lastly, pool safety is easily achieved by registering for swim lessons. Lessons are available year-round through the Chandler Aquatics Division for everyone from 6 months of age and older. Both children and adults will learn
While a large percentage of drownings are pool related, they also take place at lakes, canals and even bathtubs or buckets of water. The highest drowning incidents are during the months of June, July and August, typically because of the lack of supervision. It is always important to have someone with you when around water. The Chandler Fire, Health & Medical Department regularly holds drowning prevention activities throughout the city, which includes CPR training and strategies on how to manage emergency situations properly. Swimming is an excellent way to exercise safely during the summer months. However, if walking or running is your favorite cardio activity, there are ways to incorporate safe exercise during the summer months. Perhaps, the best tip is to start off slow and get out in the early mornings or later in the evenings when it is not as hot. The three most common heat-related emergencies are heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Signs to watch out for are dizziness, headache, paleness, nausea and faintness. When any of these signs become apparent, take a break for a few minutes, drink plenty of water
and cool down. Also, make sure to wear sunscreen. These tips also are important when doing other outside activities, like yard work.
If exercising outdoors isn’t for you, the City’s Tumbleweed Recreation Center offers many indoor classes, activities and events for all ages. It also includes a fitness center, indoor track, racquetball courts and locker rooms. There are daily, weekly, monthly and annual passes.
Finally, one of the best ways to celebrate the summer is with a traditional barbecue and fireworks celebration. The City’s annual Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at Tumbleweed Park, 2250 S. McQueen Rd. The fireworks show begins at 9 p.m. Admission is free, and parking is $5 per vehicle. City offices will be closed on Friday, July 3, in observance of Independence Day.
If you enjoy an at-home fireworks celebration, make sure you are familiar with and observe the laws on fireworks. Being able to purchase and use fireworks is new to those who grew up in Arizona. State statutes
that allow the sale and use of certain fireworks went into effect in December 2010; these statutes allow each city and town to develop its own ordinance regarding the sale, use and permissible types of fireworks. Currently, the sale of fireworks is legal through July 6 in Chandler, and firework use is allowed from June 24 through July 6. If you plan on enjoying your own display, make sure children are supervised by adults, water is available to quickly douse a fire, and that proper disposal methods are followed.
As you can see, there are plenty of opportunities to have fun in Chandler this summer. By practicing these safety tips, you will also enjoy a safe summer.
For more information on programs and memberships offered at the Tumbleweed Recreation Center, please visit www.chandleraz.gov/trc, and for more information on approved fireworks in Chandler and summer safety tips, please visit www.chandleraz.gov/fire.
René Lopez is a councilman for the City of Chandler.
Letter to the Editor
How courtroom weddings started
BY KEITH FRANKEL SAN MARCOS JUSTICE OF THE PEACE
After people learn that I am a justice of the peace, their frequent response is, “So what do you do besides marry people?”
This made me wonder how justices became associated with marriage ceremonies, and I dug into the history.
Early English settlers brought to the new world their ideas about laws and justice, including one of the king’s institutions dating back to the 12th century—justices of the peace. In the early days of the colonies, they were volunteers who served as police.
At the same time, marriage in the colonies was becoming complicated because under English tradition, couples had to be married under Anglican Church rules and by an Anglican priest. Because these priests weren’t always available in the remote colonies, “marriage acts” were passed during the 1600s that allowed couples to marry in the presence of neighbors and a government official.
the inauguration of the municipal court law are really married, regardless of the fact that a lower court said that such weddings were illegal and void. The appellate court today ruled in the test case of Herbert Matthes that justice of the peace weddings are real tie-ups regardless of the municipal court law.”
Movies have perpetuated this notion of justices of peace marrying couples. For instance the 1952 classic starring Ginger Rogers, Marilyn Monroe, Victor Moore and Fred Allen is a story about how seven weddings are in jeopardy because a justice’s license to marry has expired. Other movies have shown couples running off to get married by a justice of the peace.
In Maricopa County, elected justices are allowed under their professional standards to perform the ceremonies and charge a fee for that service so long as it’s done after regular court hours. The justices set their own fees; mine are $60 for ceremonies in the court building and $150 and locations outside the building.
These laws were controversial as arguments over what constitutes a legal marriage and the decreasing influence of the Anglican religion continued for more than a century. After the American Revolution, couples could choose a clergyman or a justice of the peace to solemnize their marriage. The laws of 1778 provided that, in addition to the Anglican clergy, ministers of every denomination—as well as justices of the peace—were empowered to perform the ceremonies.
That wasn’t the end of controversy, however. This was reported in The Day Book, a Chicago newspaper, in April 1916: “People who were married in Chicago by justices of the peace since
Personally, I enjoy performing wedding ceremonies and sharing the experience with the happy couples. At the Chandler San Marcos Justice Court located in the San Tan Regional Court Center, 201 E. Chicago St., Chandler, we issue marriage licenses between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays. Fees for a license are $76. Couples must have a license to get married and two witnesses. For information, call (602) 372-3400 then push #3 for the San Marcos Justice Court.
Judge Keith Frankel is the presiding justice of the peace for the San Marcos Justice Court.
René Lopez. Submitted photo