Operation Welcome Home represents just one element of support the Town of Gilbert offers to returning military troops. This event honors Ranger Sergeant First Class Cory Remsburg. Special thanks goes to all the sponsors who make these events possible.
East Valley residents and visitors have a new option in health care services. The Banner Health Center is holding its Grand Opening in Gilbert at 155 E. Warner Road on Wednesday, May 22nd. Mayor John Lewis spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday.
“We are grateful for so many from Banner that are ready to serve and to help.” He said.
Staff physicians at the center will include pediatrics, family medicine and internal medicine. The facility will also include 16 exam rooms, basic imaging and laboratory services on site for added patient convenience. Banner Health Centers accept most insurance plans.
The Banner Health Center in Gilbert is the second of four in the East Valley to open after a shared groundbreaking on Oct. 25, 2012. Banner Health Center in Queen Creek opened on May 1; a center in Chandler will open in early August, followed by one in East Mesa in early September. Headquartered in Phoenix, Banner Health is one of the largest, nonprofit health care systems in the country.
Operation Welcome Home represents one element of support the Town of Gilbert offers to returning military troops. This event honors Builder Senior Chief Julio Beatrice and Builder Senior Chief Jon Morton. Special thanks goes to all the sponsors who make these events possible.
What is it like to be a small business owner in Gilbert, Arizona? Jill Schiefelbein can tell you from experience. Locally and nationwide, Jill is known as the Impromptu Guru, a communication coach in Gilbert, Arizona. As the radio host of Communication Nation, Jill talks about what it’s like to be a business owner in Gilbert and the importance of investing in the community where you do business.
For more information visit: http://impromptuguru.com
The Heritage Depot Plaza project is complete and ready for the community to enjoy. Gilbert Leadership Class XXI has created this open space improvement from start to finish with help from the community and artist Mary Opat.
The plaza includes an art mural on the South facing wall of the American Legion Hall Post 39 and an open space improvement pocket-park. Gilbert Leadership says this effort will benefit all citizens and guests visiting downtown Gilbert as the mural will not only be an attractive art piece, but will also leave a lasting memory to all who participated.
Participants of Class XXI raised more than $15,000 through private and corporate donations to finance the project. Gilbert Leadership participant Gayle Disch said, “They are so excited about what we’re doing. They put their heart and soul and obviously their money behind this project. Without the community support, we could have never taken on this large of a project for Gilbert Leadership.”
Over the past 20 years, Gilbert Leadership, a program of the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce, has promoted leadership and community action.
Gilbert residents gathered to honor fallen heroes in Public Safety on April 30th, 2013.
On the surface, Greenfield Elementary may look just like all of the other elementary schools in Gilbert. Tour the school and you begin to realize you are in a special place, due largely to the efforts of longtime Building Manager, Jerry Gift.
Much of Mr. Gift’s 23-year tenure with the school has been spent championing environmentally conscious change. Several years ago, Mr. Gift made note of the often only partially filled trash dumpsters on the school site. The dumpster volume was taken up largely by non-recyclable Styrofoam used during the lunch service, making thrice weekly pickup service necessary.
Mr. Gift presented a solution to the school principal – a machine to melt down the Styrofoam. Not only would the Styrofoam be compacted to take up less space, the 4x4x2 foot condensed Styrofoam could be sold and used as an alternative fuel source or be made into other products like planters. Gilbert Public Schools’ services were sold on the idea and purchased a Thermo Compactor for Greenfield Elementary.
Mr. Gift encourages the elementary students to serve as volunteers in assisting the school’s recycling efforts.
“I like to keep it simple with the students by having them do the same jobs everyday thus making them feel more confident in their role as recyclers,” says Gift.
The schools combined efforts to recycle Styrofoam as well as milk cartons and aluminum cans, have cut their weekly trash pickup service from 3 times a week to 2 times a week. This minor change not only reduced costs but also the carbon footprint required to service the receptacles more often. A win-win all around!
Mr. Gift’s reduce, reuse, recycle efforts did not stop there. He suggested removing one overhead bulb from every fixture in the facility that would normally use two, resulting in a marked cost savings for the school. Mr. Gift is a modest man who does not solicit recognition for his actions. He is quick to point out that he works with a “very supportive staff” and credits the wonderful students who he inspires to go the extra mile and do their part to contribute each day the school’s recycling efforts.
Mr. Gift’s forward thinking and willingness to think globally and act locally is what makes him Gilbert’s Reduce Reuse and Recycle Hero of the month. We salute you Mr. Gift!
Do you know someone who could be Gilbert’s next RRR of the Month? Nominate them today by emailing recycling@gilbertaz.gov.
The Town of Gilbert kicked-off the month-long “Gilbert Feeding Families” Community Food Drive with a bag-off competition between local, county, state and federal leaders. Albertsons, located on Lindsay and Warner Roads in Gilbert, hosted the competition between Gilbert Mayor John Lewis, Arizona State Representative Warren Petersen, County Supervisor Denny Barney, and Chuck Gray, District Director for Congressman Matt Salmon.
The 60-second friendly-competition signified the beginning of the annual food drive running from May 1st to May 31st. In 2012, Gilbert was able to collect over 40,000 meals for the United Food Bank. This year the goal is even higher as the community is being challenged to collect 50,000 meals.
“Gilbert is such a close-knit community and when faced with a challenge like this, I am confident that we can work together to help our neighbors in need,” said Mayor John Lewis.
All of the food donated will go directly to feeding the Gilbert community. The United Food Bank works with eight different Gilbert organizations to distribute more than 126,000 pounds of food annually to support their programs.
“We are honored to have the support from the Town of Gilbert and their residents in this month-long food drive,” said Bob Evans, President and CEO of United Food Bank. “May is the time when we are reminded of the long, harsh summer heat – which is also when our shelves run dry. Your generous contributions will help us keep food on our shelves so we can feed the hungry people of Gilbert and Arizona.”
Donation drop off sites will be located around town, including all of the fire stations, recreation centers, libraries, and Town Hall. If you or your business is interested in participating, visitwww.gilbertaz.gov/feedingfamilies for more information.
We Are Gilbert Day, coordinated by For Our City Gilbert, is a day set aside for the community to come together and make a difference in the East Valley. This year there were 15 different project locations and more than 700 volunteers. This video highlights the service projects accomplished at the House of Refuge.
In it’s ninth year, the Gilbert Global Village Festival is bigger and better than ever, according to co-founder Gale Disch who says the event brings cultures from around the world together for a day.
“People from throughout the Southeast Valley and Arizona and Gilbert don’t think of themselves as very diverse, but in fact we are a very diverse community,” said Disch. “Today is their day to celebrate and to educate and teach other people of a different culture in their community.”
With three stages for performances and demonstrations, an art avenue and food from around the globe, the festival drew hundreds of residents to enjoy weather and learn about the heritage of their neighbors.
Marty Hougen and her husband and two children enjoyed the event as a family.
“It opens their eyes to what’s different and it’s just something new they learn when they come here,” she said.
This year’s festival theme was Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Music, a play on the “S.T.E.M” initiative throughout local schools. With science demonstrations and plenty of interactive music and art presentations for children, it offered entertainment and education for the whole family.
