Page 40 January 2012 clarity,” she said. “It was so refreshing.” From that experience, Jim was recruited to work with Ryan House. “The light came on, though, that maybe I was recruited so we could be helped,” he said. Now, Jim is the vice chairman of the board of directors and Karrie heads up the teen board on which Cat and Joe also sit. As a commercial mortgage broker, he’s the fi rst to laugh and said, “I’ve had a lot of volunteer time.” Ryan House, at 110 W. Merrell St. near downtown Phoenix, was founded in March 2010 as a home-like setting for children Ryan House Continued from page 13 with life-threatening conditions. It’s a place where they can get care and share in numerous activities, as well as get end-of -life care when needed. Their families can get support and a respite. Before Ryan House, Karrie and Jim had little break from the rigors of caring for Caroline. Karrie’s mother Liza Bell, and other family and friends, have been tremendous help and support, but still it was hard. Karrie said she questioned things a lot, but her husband said, “She’s going to be fi ne, she has you. And, I’m going to take care of you.” Now the Piersons can leave Caroline at Ryan House and take their other two children on vacations. The facility provides 20 days (including weekends and one holiday) of respite care through the year for families. “Our kids were born here and had never been to the Grand Canyon,” Jim said. Now they have. And, Jim and Karrie have even had couple get-aways. “It’s nice as a parent when you get back from vacation and see all that she’s done,” Karrie said of Caroline. Jim pointed out that it’s like “she’s going to camp.” Ryan House has eight pediatric bedrooms and three family suites. There’s a kitchen with the feel of a bistro, a pool that can accommodate physically challenged children, a computer room called Data Dock with walls fi lled with outer space images, a groovy light and sound room, Do Re Mi music room, and each bedroom carries themes like: Once Upon A Time Cabin; Abracadabra Cabin; and Wild West Cabin. All the rooms have been painted by local artists. Activities are geared to helping families make memories. Some 130 families have been served with respite care, and more than 20 children have received end-of-life care. “We’re so blessed to have it in our back yard,” Jim said of Ryan House. It costs about $1,000 a day to care for a child at Ryan House, and the home needs to raise $1.6 million a year to run. Jim helps raise money, pointing out that services are free to the families. He said he and Karrie came to realize how many people were dealing with similar circumstances and just wanted to help this “loving environment with a great medical staff. Eighty percent is respite, and it’s light and fun and kids are running around.” Their daughter has a neurodevelopment disorder called microcephaly – an abnormally small head – and suffers seizures, among other things. She’s had numerous surgeries. Still, “She will hear her dad’s voice and she will light up,” Karrie said. “Overall she’s been pretty darn healthy.” It’s not about being “poor, pitiful me,” Jim said of the family’s life circumstances. “I want to give back,” Karrie said. “I’m so grateful and appreciative. I want to let other people, parents, know we’ve used the services.” More information on Ryan House and its fundraising events is available at http:// ryanhouse.org. you’re invited! HELP YOUR CHILD PREPARE TO EXCEL IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY tĞĂƌĞĂŶ͟͞ƌĂƚĞĚŬŝŶĚĞƌŐĂƌƚĞŶƚŚƌŽƵŐŚϴƚŚŐƌĂĚĞƉƵďůŝĐĞůĞŵĞŶƚĂƌLJƐĐŚŽŽů ǁŚŝĐŚŽīĞƌƐĂŶĂĐĐĞůĞƌĂƚĞĚĂĐĂĚĞŵŝĐĐƵƌƌŝĐƵůƵŵ͗  ͻ͞ &ŽƌĞŝŐŶ>ĂŶŐƵĂŐĞ/ŵŵĞƌƐŝŽŶWƌŽŐƌĂŵ͟ĂŶĚ^ƉĂŶŝƐŚĞŶƌŝĐŚŵĞŶƚĐůĂƐƐĞƐ  ͻƵƌƌŝĐƵůƵŵŝŶĐůƵĚĞƐDƵƐŝĐ͕ƌƚ͕W͕͘͘>ŝďƌĂƌLJ͕ĂŶĚdĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐ LJ  ͻtŝĚĞǀĂƌŝĞƚLJŽĨĂŌĞƌͲƐĐŚŽŽůĂƚŚůĞƟĐƐĂŶĚĂĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ  ͻKŶͲƐŝƚĞĨŽƌĞŝŐŶůĂŶŐƵĂŐĞŝŵŵĞƌƐŝŽŶWƌĞƐĐŚŽŽůĂŶĚŌĞƌĐĂƌĞWƌŽŐƌĂŵ ^ĐŚŽŽůďŽƵŶĚĂƌŝĞƐĂƌĞďĞƚǁĞĞŶϯϮŶĚĂŶĚϰϬƚŚ^ƚƌĞĞƚ͕ĂŶĚďĞƚǁĞĞŶ  EŽƌƚŚĞƌŶĂŶĚ/ŶĚŝĂŶ^ĐŚŽŽůZŽĂĚ͕ďƵƚƚŚĞƉƌŽŐƌĂŵŝƐŽƉĞŶƚŽĨĂŵŝůŝĞƐ ŽƵƚŽĨƚŚĞĚŝƐƚƌŝĐƚƚŽƚŚĞĞdžƚĞŶƚƚŚĂƚƐƉĂĐĞŝƐĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ͘ 4601 N. 34th St. ͻ 602.381.6160 www.creightonschools.org creighton school district – educating children since 1884 Biltmore Preparatory Academy <ŝŶĚĞƌŐĂƌƚĞŶ/ŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶ^ĞƐƐŝŽŶͲ:ĂŶ͘Ϯϲ͕ϮϬϭϮ͕ϲ͗ϯϬƉ͘ŵ͘ SEARCHING FOR TREASURE JUST GOT A LOT MORE EXCITING. Ozzie’s Furnishings has moved! Come visit us at our new, spacious, chic boutique, where you will find beautiful, high-quality furniture and home décor. All of our merchandise is hand-selected from loving donations made to St. Vincent de Paul. New items are delivered several times a week, so there is always something new to discover. Let the quest begin! YOUR UPSCALE RESALE BOUTIQUE F A S H I O N A B L E P H I L A N T H R O P Y 3927 E. Indian School Rd. Phoenix AZ, 85018 | Mon., Tues., Wed., Fri. 10am – 5pm; Thurs. 10am – 6pm; Sat. 9:30am – 4:30pm Arcadia News PHOTO CONTEST february theme: Love is... submit photos to: photos@arcadianews.com • deadline 1/16/12

Page 41 January 2012 Recently when gluten-free became a common term I was a bit intrigued with the facts but had little interest in sweets made without the good stuff. Gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, malts and triticale is used as a food additive in the form of fl avoring, stabilizing and thickening and for the 1 percent of Americans with celiac disease, living a gluten-free lifestyle is the only chance at a normal existence. For the 10 percent of Americans who have a poorly understood gluten sensitivity, dietary adjustments could be absolutely life changing. To me, gluten seemed far too important to merely remove from cookies, cupcakes, brownies and bread. I’d rather avoid treats all together. I had to fi nd out fi rst hand. When I learned that one of the only bakeries certi fi ed through the Gluten-Free Certi fi cation Organization was started in Phoenix in 2001 after owner LynnRae Ries was diagnosed gluten-intolerant and now has two locations, I decided it was time to taste a cookie stripped of everything I believed absolutely necessary. Gluten-Free Creations at 2940-b E. Thomas Road in Phoenix and 7607 E. McDowell Road No. 108 in Scottsdale is doing masterful things. A truly beautiful vegan German chocolate cupcake completely knocks it out of the park in taste and texture. The moist chocolate cake could beat out almost any non-vegan chocolate cupcake. The luscious coconut frosting serves as a perfect match for such a tremendous cake, bringing two heavenly elements together to develop an even more divine creation. One of Gluten-Free Creations most marvelous products is Wunderful Bread, which lives up to its name. Soft and fl avorful bread with a delightful crust, you can imagine dipping a slice in olive oil, constructing a Top Chef worthy sandwich, or using it to make the best French toast. The pumpkin bread, brownies and doughnuts are equally superb. The Sprinkle Donut is made with no yeast or dairy. Hard to believe these treats are so vibrant and delicious, they are worthy of eating not only for their dietary bene fi t to some, but because they are worthy of indulgence for all. The skills of the Gluten-Free Creations pastry chef are admirable, as fl avors and textures are beautifully captured. Amanda Goossen is the stay-at-home mom of a 4 and 6 year old. She created the Lit, Music and Food website www.litfestmagazine.com. and is always searching the Valley for the best sweets to share with the readers of the Arcadia News . Sweets Continued from page 38 • All visits with a physician • Comprehensive, to-the-point examination, diet and exercise planning • Appetite suppressing medications that will help you achieve your goal • Post target weight planning to help you maintain your lower weight B&B WEIGHT SOLUTIONS The City’s Premier Weight Loss Program look good & be healthy OUR GOAL IS TO HELP YOU GET THE WEIGHT OFF AND KEEP IT OFF Programs are all tailored to your individual needs with no add-on expenses, no long term contracts & no up selling No dangerous HCG weight reduction programs or other FAD Diet programs Discount programs for referrals $20 OFF INITIAL VISIT (602) 841 7676 6520 N. 7TH AVE., #4 (on the NW corner of Maryland and 7th Ave.) LOOP 101 & INDIAN BEND >05: