Page 24 May 2013 Neighbor Continued from page 22 and tenacious in making their lives better for their families, and with such back- breaking daily responsibilities,” she said. “In just the last couple years, they have enrolled all kids in schools and harvested clean water for drinking.” Bednarz has visited roughly 25 countries and loves exploring nature. She is looking forward to future Me to We trips to India and Ecuador. “I have witnessed some extremes of humanity’s wealth and poverty, and the planet’s beauty and character,” she said. “But, I feel like I have so much more to learn and experience. Travel has helped me grow in so many ways.” Learn more about Me to We and Free the Children (the largest organization of children helping children in the world) at www.metowe.com and www. freethechildren.com. Traveled lately or know someone who has? Email Kaley.Kalil@gmail.com. Pets can vacation with you if you prepare carefully By Kaley Kalil The weather’s heating up, school will soon be out and vacation time will be put to work. But, who will watch little Rex while the family is off cavorting at Aunt Edna’s lake house in South Carolina? There’s no (good) reason why the family’s fuzzy loved ones can’t go along for the ride. Plus, you’ll save dad’s loafers and the bathroom baseboards from being destroyed in the meantime. Here are a few pet friendly travel tips to ensure man’s best friend and little kitty have just as much fun on vacation as the rest of us: Pet-friendly hotels TripAdvisor.com already has established itself as a favorite site among nomads everywhere. But, did you know this traveler’s cornucopia of useful and real information has a “Pets Allowed” search feature? When browsing for hotels at your destination, scroll down through the column on the left until you see the “Amenities” heading. About halfway down that list, you’ll see the “Pets Allowed” option, as well as the number of hotels in the area that will throw you a bone. Check this search criteria box and watch your results get updated instantly. Voila! Pets welcome. Vaccinations and emergencies Rabies vaccinations are required on both international and domestic fl ights. Be sure to check with your airline and veterinarian before traveling to ensure your pet is ready to fl y and has all necessary immunization records. You may also want to check with your vet about travel-sickness pills or sedatives. Additionally, try to familiarize yourself with at least one emergency veterinary clinic at your destination in case Max swallows that souvenir keychain you just purchased. Southwest Airlines Small, vaccinated domestic cats and dogs are accepted for in-cabin travel only, never as checked baggage. Pet fare is $75 each way per pet carrier, which counts as either a carry-on or personal item. Pet fare is collected at the airport ticket counter before continuing to the departure gate, and pet reservations can only be booked on a fi rst-come, fi rst-served basis by calling 1-800-435-9792. Passengers traveling with pets can still secure their boarding pass online, at curbside check-in, at the airport kiosk or at the ticket counter. Only one pet carrier is allowed per ticketed passenger (not including unaccompanied minors), although the carrier may contain up to two cats or dogs of the same species. The animal(s) must remain inside the pet carrier at all times and be at least 8 weeks old. The carrier must be able to fi t under the seat in front of you (19”L x 14”W x 8.25”H for window and aisle seats, 19”L x 19”W x 8.25”H for middle seats). Pet regulations vary from airline to airline. Be sure to look up your airline’s rules and regulations before making your travel arrangements. Pueblo Grande Museum and the Rosson House Museum at Heritage Square offer two-week, all-day summer programs for children ages 6-9 in June and children 10- 13 in July. The programs cover both the prehistoric and historic cultures of Arizona as well as the science of archaeology used to learn about them. Children “race” through time during the camps collecting different stamps and stickers in their Amazing Arizona Passports for each of the different skills, crafts and projects they complete. Register by May 31 for an early registration discount fee of $175 per week. Registration fees increase to $200 per week starting June 1. Children enrolled for one week at both institutions receive a 1-year Family Membership to each. For more information on the Pueblo Grande program or to register, call 602- 495-0901. For more information on the Rosson House program weeks or to register, call 602-262-5071. To all of our clients who have allowed us to help them enjoy another year of living well, thank you.

Page 25 May 2013 Mom’s always there, even for that fi rst ‘boyfriend’ By Amanda Goossen Over 20 years ago, when I was 10, my life changed forever. I was pacing the house, with something to say. I needed to talk, but didn’t know who to talk to or what to say. The nerdy boy in my fi fth-grade class, the son of our school librarian, had asked me to our fi fth- grade dance. I didn’t know what to do. My dad suddenly realized something was up. I’ve never been a dif fi cult person to read. I’m sure it was written all over my face. “Mandy…” my dad called out, requesting my presence in the living room. He’s always called me that. No one but my mom and dad can get away with it. I walked in but couldn’t look him in the eye. I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to confess. I was confused about everything. “You know, Mandy,” he told me, “your mom will always be here for you. Go talk to her if you need to talk about something. It might help if you get some stuff off your chest.” I turned and walked away. Embarrassed, but relieved. I walked straight in to my parent’s bedroom where my mom was putting on her makeup. I sat on the bathroom counter and spilled my guts. I told her about the odd boy who asked me to the fi fth-grade sock hop, even though the principal had warned that we were not to have dates. I told her it made me nervous and I didn’t want a boyfriend. My mother listened. She spoke. But most importantly, she was simply there. For the next 10 years, as I would grow from young girl to grown woman, my mom was the one constant in my life. The dreadful day one year later, when my sixth-grade heartbreak felt like the end of the world, my mom put her arms around me as I sat on our entryway stairs, hysterically crying that my life was over. In seventh grade when our family was going through numerous struggles, my mom and I would talk, discuss and lean on each other. In the eighth grade when girls, gossip and cattiness would make me question everyone who I’d ever trusted, I knew one thing would never change. I may not understand my friends, but I had my mom, forever. In high school, my friends would learn what a special connection I had. Some would lean on my mom as well. My mom knew us, she took care of us and she loved us. No matter what. When I was 19 years old, however, I made the most dif fi cult decision of my life. I had met the man I was planning to marry. But marrying the love of my life would mean moving hundreds of miles away from my parents, from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. I was so desperately in love, the decision seemed simple. The day I began my adult life, loading the U-Haul truck and kissing my mom goodbye, I was thrilled at the life that was to come. As my husband drove the truck away from my childhood home, I began to cry. It felt like the sixth-grade heartache I had known so many years before. But this time, my mom wasn’t there, with her arms magically wrapped around me. She wasn’t there to ease the pain like all the times before. For the next nine years, I would grow into the woman I am today. My mom would visit. She would experience Los Angeles with me. We would talk on the phone daily, sometimes twice a day. Miles may have separated us, but our bond would never change. But over time, our lives were heading in different directions. We were still close but I was growing up and becoming myself. I had two young children, a husband and the beginning of a career. And life had intervened, forcing my mom to limit her Continued on page 27 Arcadia News Special Sections Editor, Amanda Goossen and her mother. Reputation and Accountability You Deserve! — Truth You Can Expect — — Results You Can Count On — — Use an Arcadia Native — hundreds of millions sold Bellamak.com at Bellamak Realty The Good Guys Hire Judge Bellamak 602.799.1103 Shawn Bellamak 602.723.0400 Traci Bellamak 602.799.1186 Cathi Bellamak 480.220.9839