Point of Light

2 “Point of Light” Winner Offers Help and Hope Leslie Childers’ darkest moment brought her to the light. 3 Caution: Watch for Wild Art World reknown animal artists will be exhibiting their works when they meet at West Valley Art Museum in September for an international conference. A COMMUNITY ON THE MOVE . VOLUME 1 NO. 6 . FALL 2001 A COMMUNITY ON THE MOVE . VOLUME 1 NO. 6 FALL 4 Coming Soon CITY OF SURPRISE Get the latest information on all the new businesses Public Information Office: coming to town. T: 623.583.4840 Dave Reuter, Public Information Officer 6 Special Events E: [email protected] Surprise prepares for annual observance of Fiestas Patrias. DYSART UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Public Information Office: T: 623.876.7169 8 Bringing the Constitution to Life E: [email protected] Surprise City Council members are giving Dysart High School students a real-life lesson in City government. surprise As volunteer coordinator of congratulatory letters from Arizona Surprise’s Alternative Response senators Jon Kyl and John McCain, (AR) team, Surprise resident Gov. Jane Hull, and both Bush Leslie Childers was The Daily presidents. "Just to be recognized by Points of Light Award winner for these offices is pretty neat," she May 25. Given each weekday by said. how to the Points of Light Foundation, the national award was first instituted The New York native, with a master’s volunteer... by former President George Bush degree in public relations and a to honor an individual or bachelor’s in corporate Call Leslie Childers at organization making a positive communications, was on the fast- (623) 875-4319 or and lasting difference in the lives track - traveling the country as (602) 310-2438 of others. manager for a wireless communications company - when a A written application, The volunteer-staffed AR van Nov. 10, 1995 phone call forever oral board interview, accompanies fire and police altered the course of her life. "My fingerprinting and personnel to traumatic events, mom called to tell me my dad had background check is offering reassurance and been murdered," she said. resources to those left suffering required. Training in the wake of accidents, deaths For Childers, work became includes a ride-along and violent crimes. Explained increasingly difficult as she suffered with experienced team Childers, "We spend three to four from sleeplessness and memory members, and 24 hours hours with them on the worst day loss. "Literally, I thought I was losing of classroom of their lives." my mind," she said, until she instruction in crisis attended a meeting of Parents of intervention, domestic Though she knew Surprise Fire Murdered Children and found out her violence, grief, suicide, Captain Dan Gromer had symptoms were normal for homicide sexual assault, nominated her, Childers admits survivors. equipment operation, she was surprised by a voice mail informing her of the selection. Childers began researching victim’s first aid and more. rights, and increasingly realized she A page-long biography of recipient wanted to help other hurting people. One eight-hour shift number 1907 is posted on the She moved to Arizona to be with per month is the web site, www.PointsofLight.org, friends, and for two years worked as minimum requirement, (look under Past Winners, May a property manager while but volunteers may 25), and Childers has received volunteering as a victim advocate for work additional shifts. the Chandler Police Department. “Points of Light” Winner Offers Help and Hope Once again she left management - this time to pursue a master’s degree in social work at ASU. "I was going to be poor," she said with a laugh. Subsequent stints with the Maricopa County Attorney’s office and Phoenix Fire Department’s AR program supplemented her experience and led her to Surprise last fall. Though she turned down a paying job to establish and coordinate an Alternative Response program to service the entire far West Valley, it wasn’t a tough decision. "This is where I wanted to be. It’s where my heart is," she said, "and it’s an important enough program not to get paid. I love doing what I do." (She’s since been hired by the Department to work as a part-time fire prevention educator.) So far some 50 volunteers have been through the intensive AR training classes Childers established, yielding enough to staff the van Friday through Sunday, though the goal is round-the-clock service. Leslie Childers holds up a letter signed by former President George Bush congratulating her on The Daily Points of pointsLight Award. of light2 Caution: Watch for Wild Art Lions and tigers and bears, oh yes! This September, Maybe you’ve been Surprise is going wild. Watch for internationally known assaulted, your animal artists, and a few real-life zoo types, to invade the home burglarized, or City as "Art & The Animal" debuts at the West Valley Art your car stolen. The Museum Sept. 1 through Oct. 15. Surprise is the first stop last thing you need on a five-city national tour for the 41st Annual Exhibition of is to pay for a the 350-member Society of Animal Artists. police report. "This exhibition has something for everyone, from artists Thanks to a new who want to see how other artists portray the exotic and Surprise Police familiar creatures around us, to children who have a Department policy, natural curiosity about the fascinating world of animals," victims of a priority one crime are entitled to said Wally Steffan, director of the West Valley Art Museum. one free report. "Most agencies have fees, but usually only three or four are free," said More than 90 works in oil, watercolor, graphite, bronze, reports Lt. Mark Schott, "We’ve extended it to cover alabaster, and more will be featured in the exhibition. incidents where people truly are a victim – Admission is free to Museum members, $5 for non- it’s not by their choice." members, and $2 for students. crime Those crimes include sexual assault, In conjunction with the show, a four-day educational aggravated assault, robbery, theft, arson, conference beginning Sept. 11 will culminate with a free burglary, auto theft and domestic violence. day of events for the family. The public is invited to meet The family of a murder victim is entitled to a the artists from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 15 at the Museum, free report, as well. then see the artists in action from 2 to 3:30 that afternoon at The Phoenix Zoo. Some of the artists include Reports on other incidents, including stone sculptor Charles Allmond, plein-air sketch artist John automobile accidents, may be requested for Banovich, watercolorist David Rankin and scratchboard a fee. Cost is $5 for less than 10 pages; artist Fran Sweet. $10 for 10 to 20 pages; and $15 for 20 pages or more. There’s an additional charge Reservations are required for a $15 gala artists’ reception for copies of photos or videotapes, and a Sept. 14, and $75 a plate Society of Animal Artists Annual $25 hand research fee for reports written Dinner on Sept. 15. prior to mid-1992. Live animals will visit the Museum from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reports are usually available within a week Sept. 29 for Safari Fest. The event will also feature animal of the incident. To obtain a report: mascots from local sports teams, animal sculptor Scott McNeill, large outdoor animal sculptures by youth, Fill out a records request form at the environmental and wildlife groups – the animals they care Surprise Police Department, 12425 W. about - music and more. Multiple performances of "Peter Bell Road and the Wolf," performed by the Symphony of the West Pay any fees to the cashier in the nearby Valley and narrated by Phoenix Suns announcer Al McCoy Community Development Department, and are also scheduled. return the receipt to the Police Department A poster commemorating the event by Banovich, as well as You will be notified when the records are books and prints by other artists featured in the exhibition, ready. The department has seven to 10 will be on sale in the Museum store. working days to fill the request, however most are processed within a couple of The West Valley Art Museum is located north of Bell Road days. at (114th) Avenue of the Arts. For more information, or admission fees for the conference, call the Museum at For more information, call the Police (623) 972-0635 or visit the web site at www.wvam.org. 3 Department at (623) 583-1085. Get a gander at some future Texas Surprise Rangers - and help Surprise youth - by comingsoon attending "Surprise Day" Nov. 10 at the is in the Peoria Sports Complex. Take in an process of Arizona Fall League game between the Watch this column for Mesa Solar Sox and the Peoria building an businesses coming soon to Surprise. Javelinas. adult sports program, The Arizona Fall League showcases Surprise Towne Center (northwest corner of Major League Baseball teams’ top and we Grand Avenue and Bell Road): Brake Masters, prospects. "They’re the minor leaguers need your closest to making it to the Majors," Century 21 real estate, Discount Tire, Interstate said Adam Robinson, Surprise’s special opinions. Batteries, Linens’n Things, Pier 1 Imports, events coordinator. Players wear the Watch for Prestige Dance Studio, Ross Dress for Less, uniform of their Major League team, so Smoothie King, Van Metre Chiropractic. it’s easy to follow the prospects of your the adult Fry’s Plaza (15508 W. Bell Road): 2007 Nails, favorite team. sports Heritage Shutters, Kingswood Park Family survey in Chiropractic and Perfect Look Salon.

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