David Drake's grandson, Sam, now 6, was the inspiration for Hope Kids

Picture Perfect – Local Photographer
Offers Photos to Benefit Hope Kids Charity
by Lynette Carrington

David Drake is a man of many talents. For twenty-three years he has worked at Kachina Cadillac running the Parts and Service Department. As the Fixed Operations Manager, he helps to ensure things are running picture perfect. As part of his other job, he has a masterful talent in photography which he has turned in to a unique way to help the charity, Hope Kids.

The tagline for Hope Kids is ‘Hope is a Powerful Medicine’. The organization provides a unique support community for children with cancer and other life-threatening medical conditions. Hope Kids provides ongoing events and activities for these children and their families (at no charge) while driving home the message that hope can be a powerful message. The message of ‘Hope’ is one that Drake learned first-hand when some years ago, his six-week-old grandson, Sam, was diagnosed with Neutropenia (also known as Kostmann’s Syndrome), a very rare condition that leaves the patient’s immune system almost defenseless against viruses and bacteria. Little Sam beat the odds and, after two bone marrow transplants (the first one failed), he is now free from his disease. But the fight wasn’t easy and it deeply affected the entire family.

Over the course of the two bone marrow transplants, Sam’s mother lived at the hospital with Sam for ten months. David’s wife, Pat went to Seattle to assist the family during the difficult ordeal. “We learned so much about what these families go through with a long term illness,” Drake explained. Out of living through that experience, he and the family sought a way to support families that were going through similar situations. He then became involved with helping to support Hope Kids by selling prints of his exceptional nature-related photos at www.photosforsam.com.

“I’ve always been a photographer. I started in the Marine Corps,” stated Drake. He has traveled extensively around the world and has captured some amazing images. The most popular images in his portfolio are listed at www.photosforsam.com and are available for sale. “One-hundred percent of proceeds benefit Hope Kids. We pay for all postage, shipping and supplies,” he explained. Some of the most striking images available include a hunting fox playfully diving in to the snow, a stealth tiger, breath taking shots from Yellowstone Park and rich photos from Antelope Canyon. The images are unforgettable, much like the children and families that benefit from the exceptional work of Hope Kids.

In addition to holding special events for children faced with life-threatening illnesses, Hope Kids grants specially-tailored wishes that are designed to promote deeper relationships and friendships. There is also the HopeCommunity comprised of children and their families. Children who are newly diagnosed, are in the midst of treatment or who are now cancer free get involved in each other’s lives. Perhaps nothing brings more hope to a child battling disease, than to see another child who has won their fight against the same illness. Sam falls in to the latter category.

Little Sam will turn seven in June. He is being homeschooled, rides his bike and is completely healthy. “He just finished taking wrestling lessons,” explained his doting grandfather. Drake explained that only about 20 percent of children diagnosed with Kostmann’s Syndrome reach the age of three and he knows how blessed they are that Sam beat the odds. “Now he’s just a healthy little boy,” said Drake of his grandson. Learn more about Hope Kids at www.hopekids.org and purchase Drake’s photos at www.photosforsam.com.

 

Arizona Aqua Stars go to Hollywood

This year the Arizona Aqua Stars go to Hollywood! This year the Aqua Stars are hosting “An Afternoon With The Stars” featuring local athletes who brought home Gold at last year’s National Championships. The Aqua Stars are also excited to announce that Biggest Loser winner and inspiration to America. Ali Vincent, will be making an appearance at the pool during the show.

The Aqua Stars continue to shine as they represent their State across the country. The 2008-2009 season brought record accomplishments for the team. Head coach Jill Parr was named the 13-15 U.S. National Team Coach, and athletes Jamie Kuchan, Courtney Johnson and Marissa Ricks were made members of the US National Team in their various age groups. The Junior/Senior Team took first place in their Combo at U.S. Opens and won the high point award in Junior competition. At Age Group National Championships in Florida the 16-17 team earned a Gold medal for their team routine. These are just a few highlights among the many accomplishments of this very competitive synchro team. Not to be outdone by their older “synchro sisters” the younger squads performed incredibly well and brought home several medals and ribbons for their hard work.

Join the Aqua Stars in giving a big shout-out to Hollywood at our “Afternoon With The Stars” on Saturday, March 13 at the Outback on McKellips. Lunches begin at 11:00 a.m. and the show begins at 2:45 p.m. The show will be held at Kino Pool at Kino Junior High School, 848 North Horne in Mesa.

 

2000 High School Students Prepare to “Lead Out Loud!”

Governor Jan Brewer and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne are scheduled to join over 2400 Arizona DECA high school students and business/education supporters at the Phoenix Civic Plaza on March 1, 2010 to participate in the biggest competition of high school business students in Arizona history. Student participants from 92 different high schools will compete in 37 different competitions in the areas of marketing, management and entrepreneurship for the opportunity to earn the right to represent Arizona at the International DECA Conference in Louisville, Kentucky in late April.

DECA is the premier international leadership organization for high school and college students interested in marketing, business management, entrepreneurship and hospitality management and are currently operated in over 115 different high schools and colleges in Arizona with a membership of 6100 students, teachers and business professionals. Arizona DECA is housed and funded in-part by the Career and Technical Education Division in the Arizona Department of Education, Tom Horne – State Superintendant of Public Instruction.

Mt. View HS DECA will be taking 13, students that will compete in a variety of marketing related events. Marketing promotion, human relations, sales, and business operations are some of the themes of these real-life scenarios for which students must develop a solution. Student leaders and competitors are Stephen Enfantino, Kevin Ballentyne, Jason Briggs, Cherish Clark, Nate Bayless, Tessa Permadhy, Brian Renteria, Beau Breland, Sarah Toller, Anna Gurevitz, Andrew Perkinson, Sam Kamp, and Ricardo Luna, lead by marketing teacher and DECA advisor, Kathy Frommer.

Visit www.azdeca.org or www.deca.org for more information.

 

Printmaker Mary Hood

MACFest Festival Favorite Blue Ribbon Winner: Mary Hood, Printmaking
Interview and Photo by Denise A. Currier, MACFest Committee - Vice Chair

Mary Hood is a printmaker and Festival Favorite at the Mesa Arts and Culture Festival. She exhibits her printmaking skills in books and paper arts. She won her first art award when she was five years old. Hood is an assistant professor at the Arizona State University Herberger College of Fine Arts in the Printmaking Department. She has a studio at her residence in Tempe as well as a studio at the university. Hood’s work, which focuses on Silence, Time and Space, Identity and experience has been exhibited both nationally and internationally earning her awards, residencies, publications and other honors. Most recently Hood was awarded the 2008 Faculty Achievement Award and the 2006 Award for Public Scholarship.

According to Hood, “Life, love, [and] our humanity” are what motivates her to create her art work and she feels her greatest art accomplishment is, “Touching someone’s consciousness.”

When asked what has been the best response instigated from her art work, Hood explained “A collector told me once that the work he purchased was more than an addition to his collection, which was impressive, but rather it had become a part of his soul. Priceless.”

When asked how her artwork and/or craft inspired her in her everyday life? Hood stated, “Best said by a quote from Maya Angelou, ‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you have done, but people will never forget how you made them feel’.”

The MACFest is held every Saturday at Main and Macdonald Streets in Downtown Mesa from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
For more information on Mary Hood, please visit her website http://artists.hc.asu.edu/artists/individual_text.php?id=&userId=64&area=12
For more information about MACFest and other artists please visit www.MACFestMesa.com