Page 44 May 2011 By William Boor Sal DiCiccio, Arcadia’s representative on the Phoenix city council, agrees when people criticize him for working at a fast pace. He said it is one of his strengths, however. “The major criticism people have of me is that I want things done right away,” DiCiccio said. “People say things like ‘He’s not willing to wait to get things done,’ and they’re right.” DiCiccio’s District 6 includes Arcadia, Biltmore, East Camelback, North Central and Ahwatukee. Even members of DiCiccio’s staff acknowledge that the councilman has a tendency to speed things along. “Patience and Sal DiCiccio aren’t words you hear in the same sentence,” said Hal DeKeyser, the councilman’s chief of staff. What draws criticism from some is a strength to others. “It’s just the fl ipside of wanting to get things done,” DeKeyser said. DiCiccio said it is unacceptable to sit back and simply say that things are going to get better in time. It is a belief that stems from his childhood and upbringing. “We had a family that was either sink or swim,” DiCiccio said. “So we had to learn at a young age to swim and swim fast.” Born in Ohio to Italian immigrants, the councilman’s fi rst language was Italian. He taught himself how to speak English in the fi rst grade. Such determination was again evident with his fi rst job, when he was in the fourth grade – pulling weeds. He continued to work every year through his senior year at Arizona State University. DiCiccio volunteered to work as a campaign aid during his time at ASU, but his passion for politics was developed while attending city council meetings as a student at Tempe High School. There, DiCiccio took a government class taught by former U.S. Rep. (and then Tempe city councilman) Harry Mitchell. Against the wishes and desires of the students, Mitchell made his class attend city council meetings to get fi rst-hand experience of how the governmental process works. DiCiccio said he was not too fond of having to go to the meetings but began to appreciate and enjoy the experience around the sixth time he attended. He learned so much from the meetings, he said, that now he tries to get high school kids interested in politics in the same way. “I appoint high school students to some Continued on page 45 Councilman takes criticism of his fast pace in stride 21657 ARCADIA BLIND D & & SHUTTER 2921 N. 68TH STREET • 480-248-8047 A TO Z EQUIPMENT RENTALS & SALES PHOENIX • 4050 E. INDIAN SCHOOL RD. • 602-955-5100 N. PHOENIX • 15634 N. 32ND ST. • 602-992-1150 E. VALLEY • 1313 E. BASELINE, GILBERT • 480-539-8700 W. VALLEY • 803 E. VAN BUREN, AVONDALE • 623-925-0200 WWW.A-ZEQUIPMENT.COM Now Renting Chocolate! Rent a chocolate fountain for your next party- cascades of chocolate for your birthday party, bar or bat mitzvah, wedding or baby shower, anniversary party, or any get-together. Warm À owing chocolate to cover any treat you can think of- Reserve one today! 7875 E. FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT BLVD. • SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85260 (480) 778-2440 CONTACT NEIL OR CRAIG TODAY FOR YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD DISCOUNT. Craig Thorpe Honda Fleet Manager, 17 Years 9 Years at Right Honda cthorpe@RightHonda.com Neil Germundson Toyota Fleet Manager, 25 Years 11 Years at Right Toyota neilg@RightToyota.com 7701 E. FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT BLVD. • SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85260 (480) 778-2200 YOU WON’T GO WRONG AT... ONE MILE WEST OF THE 101 ON FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT BLVD. IN NORTH SCOTTSDALE SEE THE NEW 2012 HONDA CIVIC AND THE REDESIGNED TOYOTA 4RUNNER Craig Thorpe Neil Germ

Page 45 May 2011 Dogs Continued from page 43 Councilman Continued from page 44 of the most important committees in the city because I want them to learn about the process the way I learned about it,” DiCiccio said. He added that he thinks it’s important for students to learn how the government works because they eventually will be in charge. Arcadia resident Barry Paceley has worked with DiCiccio on the Camelback Square Project, among others. He ran against him in the last city election. Paceley said the councilman is very aggressive in getting things done. “He’s very direct,” Paceley said. “He wants to get out and get things in order. “When he sees something that needs to be done, he doesn’t let things get in his way.” Department chairman and professor of psychology at Arizona State University Keith Crnic said, “The idea that a living animal can respond to children in a warm way is a value. We know that touch is an important emotional response, and there is evidence that touching an animal releases stress.” Gabriel’s Angels expanded to Tucson about two years ago, and a group in Northern Arizona is in the works. Currently the organization has 150 volunteer teams and reaches 13,000 children annually, Peters said. A volunteer and a dog visit children at crisis nurseries, group homes, treatment facilities or anywhere child pet-therapy is needed, Peters said. The children start to recognize the dog’s needs and build con fi dence in themselves by giving the dog an obedience command, Peters said. The volunteers are equipped with kits that help engage the children in activities that build empathy and compassion. The kits are age appropriate and include things like a photo album of the dog, a stethoscope, an activity book and water bowl, Gaber said. Peters said, “The children utilize the stethoscope to recognize the dog is a living being like themselves, and they see in the photo album that the dogs are a part of the family.” The dogs are required to have extensive training through the Delta Society of Therapy Dogs Inc., which provide dogs with therapy certi fi cation. Gaber said that she has heard good thing sfrom children and teenagers who have been touched by the program. “A teenage boy came to me and said, ‘I want to tell you something, I get it, I’ve abused animals before, and I get it now,’” Gaber said. 480-227-6250 ‡ Maryann@AZLivingSolutions.com myazlivingsolutions.com Home Property Management Maintenance and repair Landscaping/yard service Domestic help Concierge & Personal Assistant Services Dry cleaning drop-off/pick-up Car care - maintenance, wash, gas, emissions, etc Event/party planning Shipping/receiving deliveries Arrival & Departure Adjust heat/AC and water heater Fill refrigerator with groceries 7XEVX=SYV7SPYXMSR8SHE] 7SPYXMSRWJSV=SYV&YW]7GLIHYPI Full Time or Absentee Owner Services Living Solutions LLC 07 arcadiadaily.com arcadiadaily.com