Annual Home Tour Showcases “Holiday Magic”
When Martin and Ingrid Smith moved into their newly built custom home several months ago, they had no idea that it would be invaded by elves.

In just a few weeks, the Mesa couple’s 8,400-square-foot home will be “magically” decked from top to bottom with holiday decor, unique gifts and gourmet goodies in preparation for the 51st annual Christmas Idea House home tour and holiday shopping event, to be held Dec. 4-6.

Don’t expect to find jolly, child-size creatures in red tights tinkering about the home, though. These hard-working, modern-day elves are actually members of Desert Club, an all-volunteer women’s organization that has been serving the East Valley for more than 62 years. The Christmas Idea House is Desert Club’s signature fundraiser, each year attracting thousands of visitors. All proceeds from the event go toward student scholarships and community grants. To date, Desert Club has raised more than $2 million.

The Smith home in northeast Mesa provides a perfect setting for this year’s theme, “Whimsical Wishes.” The exterior, although grand, has a cozy, idyllic French-country flair with its curved roofline and cobblestone entry. Martin Smith, the home’s designer, used two roofing materials (copper and slate), and four materials on the exterior (brick, wood, stucco and limestone) to enhance its European charm.

The interior reflects the same personality, with attention to detail placed on ceilings, trim, windows and doors. The talented husband and wife team were very “hands on,” even creating the custom window treatments and unique upholstery pieces that accent the home.

In addition to the home tour, visitors to the Christmas Idea House will be treated to a stunning array of outdoor and indoor holiday furnishings, more than a dozen uniquely decorated Christmas trees, floral arrangements, wreaths and garlands. Guests will also find top trends in home accessories, gift ideas for all ages and mouth-watering treats and sweets in the gourmet kitchen.

The event kicks off on Thursday, Dec. 4 with a reservation-only Preview Gala Dinner where guests are shuttled to the home for a tour and shopping, then returned to Stonebridge Manor in Mesa to enjoy a gourmet dinner, silent auction and entertainment. On Friday, Dec. 5, serious shoppers can enjoy the reservation-only Sneak Peek Brunch and Lunch, where 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. seatings at Stonebridge Manor allow guests to enjoy a catered meal before they are shuttled to the home for shopping and a tour. Reservation information is available at www.christmasideahouse.org.

Public tours take place Friday, 4-9 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., with public parking and a free shuttle located at 1550 N. Val Vista Dr. Tickets are available through the Mesa Chamber of Commerce or at the door for $10 (for a $1 coupon, visit www.christmasideahouse.org).

No, you probably won’t spot any elves at this year’s Christmas Idea House. What you will find, however, is that the spirit of service and giving combined with this very special community event is nothing less than “magical.”


Local Manager Wins High-Octane Experience
By Marion Somers
Earlier this year, George J. Deines was in Dallas at a hardware trade show in connection with his job as the manager of AB ACE Hardware in Mesa. One particular promotion on the show floor caught his eye. Fluidmaster (manufacturer of toilet components) was having a drawing where the winner would get to participate in a weekend getaway to Talladega, Ala. and attend the Gordon/Andretti Racing School. A lifelong fan of racing, Deines jumped at the chance to enter.

Deines had nearly forgotten that he entered the drawing when he received the call that he had won the grand prize. This was the trip of a lifetime for Deines, since he is also a huge admirer of decorated NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon.

“I even own a 2003 Chevy Monte Carlo-Jeff Gordon Edition,” Deines said. His trip in early September included professional instruction at the school, driving 40 laps at top speeds on the Talladega Raceway, two nights hotel stay, a chauffeured limousine to and from his destinations, $500 for meals plus an additional $1,000 in spending money.

“We ate very well,” Deines said. “What Fluidmaster did for us was incredible!”

Deines’ son, George Q. Deines, wasn’t about to let this fantastic opportunity pass him up, and he paid his own way to attend the racing school at the same time as his father.
Father and son were shown how to get the most speed through the corners, and after being told the ground rules and how to properly navigate the track, they slid behind the wheel of a 650-horsepower race car and took off around the raceway.

“These were full-blown Sprint Cup cars,” Deines said. George J. hit a top speed of 168.26 mph and George Q. just edged out dear ol’ dad at 170.80. Each of the 20 or so drivers that participated in the race around the Talladega track that day tailed behind an instructor. If drivers didn’t keep to allowed speeds they would be ordered off the track, but the Deines’ didn’t let a lead foot get the better of their good driving judgment.

It was an unforgettable experience for both father and son, made all that more special since they are both avid fans of racing and self-proclaimed “motor heads.” The trip also held special importance for Deines’ son.

“He is going to college for engineering for car design,” Deines said. “Fluidmaster treated us like we were in the winner’s circle all weekend; I never had to worry about a thing other than trying to beat my son on the race track,” he said. George J. was also happy that he had some spending money left over so he could come home and treat his wife to a nice dinner.


The Literate Mother
By Anais G. Durney
Are you wondering about the book your son or daughter is reading, but you don’t necessarily have time to read it? A local Mesa mom and her friend created a website called www.TheLiterateMother.org, where they rate the content of books to inform virtually anyone who is interested in learning more about a book beyond the back cover description.

Bridget Verhaaren, mother of three and who graduated from Brigham Young University with a B.A. in English, is one of the co-creators of the website. She and Jennifer Stevenson, who has four children younger than age 12 and also graduated from BYU, said they came up with the idea for “The Literate Mother” last Christmas.

“We’d always get together and recommend books to each other,” Verhaaren said. “Then, we started to discuss what our kids were reading.”

Last December, Verhaaren and Stevenson decided they should start keeping track of the books they were reading and “rate” their content. As mothers trying to keep up with their voracious-reading youngsters, they looked for a service like this, but they couldn’t really find anything. So, they started their own.

“Our goal is to provide reliable content readings for youth and young adult literature,” Verhaaren said.

To begin, they created a uniform rating system in order to present information and synopses objectively, but they also provide their personal opinion for each book they read and post on the website. Their rating system looks at language, violence, sexuality and adult themes. The rubric for each area rates the content on a scale of 0 to 5, with “0” being “no content” and “5” implying an “excessive or disturbing level of content.”

“It’s hard to stay ahead of what your kids read,” Verhaaren said about why she and Stevenson felt it was so important to create this resource. “That was the whole crux of it.”

It has been just more than six months since the website was first created, and Verhaaren and Stevenson have already read and posted nearly 100 books, ranging between 4th grade and college reading levels. From science fiction novels to World War II, the scope of genres continues to expand.

“I feel like I have more of a vibe of what kids are reading,” Verhaaren said.

Just recently, Stevenson rated the newest edition to Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series, “Breaking Dawn” which, according to Marguerite Cooper, a librarian at the Mesa Public Library, has 140 people on its waiting list, most of them young teenage girls.

As a librarian, Cooper believes that theliteratemother.org can be a great resource. As a parent with grown children, Cooper said, “It’s the parents’ responsibility, if they feel very strongly about what their kids are reading, to find out what’s in it.”

Both Verhaaren and Stevenson encourage everyone – moms, dads, librarians and teachers alike – to check out the website and learn more.

“Any books anyone is interested in having rated, we’ll read them as quickly as we can and get it on there,” said Verhaaren.

“I love reading, and luckily my kids love reading, but I just want them to read good things and help steer them in the right direction,” said Stevenson. Ultimately, “We hope to help parents be informed.”


Boy Scouts Move Up to the Eagle’s Nest
Boy Scout Troop 552 has a lot of accomplishments under its belt. On Nov. 12, ten members of the troop, consisting of young men living in the Groves area, will be recognized at the Eagle Court of Honor as they advance to the highest recognized rank in Boy Scouts: Eagle Scout.

There are six distinct ranks for Boy Scouts, who can start the program as young as eleven years of age. Each one offers the chance to learn valuable skills and sports, and with each level, Scouts increasingly accept leadership roles that also entail service. Potential Eagle scouts have specific requirements they must follow, with an underlying duty to be good citizens.

“They have to show Scout spirit, follow Scout oath and law, and display good behavior,” said Steve Nielson, Scout committee chairman. The fact that ten Scouts will be earning the distinguished Eagle rank reflects the exceptional leadership of Troop 552.

“It is very rare to see ten Scouts receive this highest rank in the Scouting Program at the same time,” Nielson said. He also said that obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout takes a minimum commitment of about three years.

In the lower five ranks of Boy Scouting, boys earn required merit badges in categories like swimming, first aid, personal fitness (a three-month program), personal management and family life. Optional patches that can be earned on the way to becoming an Eagle Scout include woodcarving, canoeing, aviation, chemistry and horsemanship.

“The parents have to help and be behind it,” Nielson said, “and these are boys that are successful at other things, too.”

In addition to earning various badges, each potential Eagle Scout must take on a special service project. The Scout must ask for donations to help with their individual projects, and on Saturdays, 20 to 50 people might turn out to assist the Scouts.

“As part of their project, they have to do write-ups and provide photographs,” Nielson said.

The ten young men from Troop 552 who will receive their Eagle Scout rank are: Ben and Daniel Thomas, Dalen Hendricks, Taylor Funk, Walker Waldie, Tyler Sherwood, Scott Clawson, Clark Reed, Landon Schofield and Tyler Kokaliares. During the ceremony, the group will go through the Eagle Charge (their official oath), receive their pin and be inducted into the Eagle’s Nest.

The service projects completed by the Scouts were diverse and commendable. Landon Schofield raised funds by holding a car wash, then donated proceeds and service to paint and repair Cooley Park equipment. Dalen Hendricks obtained funds by collecting Christmas trees and then helped refurbish the UMOM New Day Center in Phoenix. Taylor Funk also raised funds via car wash and then purchased and planted trees at the Mesa Cemetery.

Congratulations to all the new Eagle Scouts of Troop 552! For additional information about joining Boy Scouts, visit www.grandcanyonbsa.com.