Page 22 February 2012 The Kubandana family received much-needed assistance from the Arcadiaparents Google group. Arcadians provide help for family By Jennifer Koeninger When the Arcadia parents Google group was started nearly three years ago, I thought it would simply be an information- sharing listserv for parents who live in and around Arcadia. If someone needed a babysitter, an exterminator, or a podiatrist, the group would have you covered. If you wanted to buy, sell, or give something away? Check. I never envisioned that we, as a group, would change the lives of a family from the Congo, but we did. At the beginning of November, a friend of mine called to ask if I wanted to help with the Holiday Giving Campaign for the International Rescue Committee (IRC), an aid organization that assists refugees who have come to the U.S. She explained that we could sponsor a family that had recently arrived in Phoenix. “Say no more, I’m in,” was my response. Initially, I sent a message out to Arcadiaparents to see if anyone was interested. I received a few lukewarm responses. On Dec. 8, I received a family bio from the IRC and my jaw dropped -- 10 people! Continued on page 23 Variety of faces and characters under all that paint By Christina Sampson Sheila Logan, a six-year Arcadia resident, is a travel agent who journeys into fantasy when it comes to her side job – face painting. Her foray into painting faces started 10 years ago when she painted herself and her friends for a Halloween party. “My friends and I, we decided we wanted to be painted up like leopards,” Logan said. “So I talked my friend into it and painted her, and I got pretty good at it.” The side job part started in a similar fashion. “It started at a friend’s party when all the kid’s wanted to get painted as Spiderman and princesses,” Logan said. Logan, who has a background in fi nance and accounting but has always been interested in arts, said she grabbed some readily available paint and went to it. “The kids really transform and become the character they’re being painted as,” Logan said. “Sometimes I’ll hold up the mirror halfway through and they’ll say, ‘Oh yes, I really feel like Spiderman now.’ ” Logan said she takes each of her subjects seriously. “Sometimes their older siblings are kind of laughing at them, or their parents want to drag them away, and I’ll just tell them, Continued on page 25

Page 23 February 2012 We were going to be sponsoring the Kubandana family: A mother and her nine children who had arrived from the Congo Dec. 7. I held my breath and sent out the bio to the group. I was not expecting any responses, and actually felt bad asking, so when I came home a few hours later and checked my email, I burst into tears - there were at least 10 messages from people asking what they could do to help. Two weeks later, with my living room full of donations and an envelope full of cash and store gift cards, I went shopping to ful fi ll Mrs. Kubandana’s very basic wish list: 10 blankets, diapers, an iron, body lotion, laundry detergent and shoes for each family member. On the morning of Dec. 23, six or seven families went to the family’s three-bedroom apartment (with 10 twin beds, two sofas, and a small table) on 15th Avenue with four carloads plus one trailer of wrapped presents and unwrapped necessities. While the entire morning was wonderful and moving, some of my personal highlights were: Watching the 8-year-old girl so excited to get a new “Easter dress” that she put it on right over her clothes. Tracing the feet of each family member so that we could buy them shoes, which we did right after the delivery. And seeing one of the girls totally fascinated by an hourglass in a board game. As one mom put, “This is what America is all about,” new beginnings - both for the Congolese family and for the Arcadiaparents group. If you would like to learn more about the International Rescue Committee, please contact Phoenix@Rescue.org. If you would like to become a member of the Arcadiaparents Google group, go to http://groups.google.com/group/ arcadiaparents. Jennifer Koeninger, her husband David and their sons Ryan, 8, and Ian, 6, moved to Arcadia from San Francisco three years ago. Family Continued from page 22 The work of Los Angeles based artist Alan Disparte will be on display at Modi fi ed Arts in downtown Phoenix through Feb. 18. Desparte’s paintings and videos evolve around the themes of industrialism, urban sprawl, organic matter and geometrics. The gallery is open on fi rst and third Fridays from 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Saturdays from 12 p.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment. For more information call 480-823-8236. Please join us to learn more about our innovative curriculum and student-centered approach to learning, and meet our faculty and students Preschool through High School Scholarships and Financial Aid Available JOIN US February 9, 2012 Program begins at 6:30 p.m. Middle and High School Night (Grade 5-12) 3939 East Shea Boulevard Phoenix, AZ 85028 February 2, 2012 Program begins at 6:30 p.m. Lower School Night (Preschool-Grade 4) 4800 East Doubletree Ranch Road Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 RSVP Angela Young 480.991.1770 ayoung@tesseractschool.org RSVP Dana Kuhn 480.385.3673 dkuhn@tesseractschool.org Tesseract School is a non-profit, coeducational independent private school for students in preschool through high school. tesseractschool.org 3200 N Hayden Rd ~ Suite 120 ~ (south of Osborn Rd) 480.429.9044 NEW OFFICE! SCOTTSDALETREATMENT.COM Primary Care Medicine • Naturopathic Medicine • Holistic Behavioral Healthcare • Holistic Pain Management Therapeutic Nutrition • Natural Supplements • Addiction Medicine • Intravenous/Intramuscular Micronutrient Therapy Medication Management • Chronic Disease Management Ravi N. Chandiramani, ND ...get your Primary Care Physician Before you get sick... Feel Better Today! 2012 all about You . Call 480.429.9033 for Your appointment today because You deserve optimal health. Come in and meet Dr. Ravi for a FREE 20-Minute Introductory Consultation. Adults Only - Limited Time - Most insurance Accepted Introductory Off er... $35 for your first MICRONUTRIENT THERAPY Regularly $120 Whether you have always wanted to try intravenous nutri- ents or have heard good things and are simply curious, STI wants to be your partner in health by offering a special sav- ings on your first treatment. Come and see what all the hype is about and start your new year off with an investment in your optimal health & wellness. Dr. Ravi Chandiramani specializes in the treatment of chemical dependency. Since 2004, he has successfully treated over 1,000 patients suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. Dr. Chandiramani works with patients in both active addiction and recovery.