Arcadia News — award winning neighborhood news since 1993
August 2015
August 2015, page 14

Across from Fashion Square Mall Across from Fashion Square Mall Across from Fashion Square Mall 4725 N Scottsdale Rd (480) 409-0409 (480) 409-0409 mb-scottsdale.com of Scottsdale Mercedes-Benz The Best of Arcadia Mercedes-Benz of Scottsdale is proud to serve Arcadia. Visit our state of the art facility and enjoy Mercedes limo service, a full-time hostess, complimentary refreshments and our cappuccino bar. One Place, One Service Department, Like No Other Stop in just once and you will never service anywhere else. Page 14 August 2015 higher risk during the summer months. This summer I’ve joined the USDA and a coalition of local nonprofits in this effort because we all have a role in raising awareness of the need to end childhood hunger and together we can connect children to the meals they deserve. We are working to increase participation and serve more kids in our community in two ways. First, we are working with the USDA to spread the word and encourage families to seek out sites that provide free and reduced priced meals during the summer. And second, we are identifying new organizations to participate as sites to serve meals. Families can find sites that serve meals by calling the National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8-HAMBRE. They can also visit azsummerfood.gov, or text ‘Food’ or ‘Comida’ to 877-877 to receive a text back in English or Spanish with the address and program information for the nearest sites. If you represent an organization or school that is interested in becoming a summer meals site, please contact USDA representative Julie Yee at (415) 705-1311. We know that hunger is a problem that doesn’t stop affecting our community when school is out. Together, we can take the lead, prevent childhood hunger and give our kids the healthy meals they need to succeed. By Greg Stanton, Mayor Phoenix has no greater priority than assisting our youth to succeed in life. It is our most basic responsibility to ensure that every child has the resources they need to complete their education, which often includes more than books and teachers. Beyond simply focusing on developing the minds of children, we must also invest in efforts that promote their physical health and well-being, providing them the fuel to learn. One of those efforts is the USDA Summer Food Service Program, which expands access to healthy and nutritious meals for children during the summer months. During the school year, more than 465,000 children in Arizona rely on the nutritious, free and reduced priced meals provided through USDA’s National School Lunch Program. The Summer Food Service Program provides them with that same fuel over the summer and ensures access to nutritious meals when school is out. It’s a smart initiative that benefits our kids, yet only 92,000 children across the state participate each day. Without those lunches, families and children that rely on school meals to keep hunger at bay are at Help fight childhood hunger with USDA Summer Meals

E. Lincoln Dr. E. Rose Ln. E. McDonald Dr. N. Scottsdale Rd. It’s time to experience in the heart of Scottsdale true luxury living EnclaveAtBorgata.com or call 480-ENCLAVE (480-362-5283) Located between Blanco and Paul Martin’s American Grill 6176 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85253 Penthouses up to 5,400 sq. ft. with customizable floorplans Sales representation by: 86 Luxury Condominium Residences Construction Underway | 20% Sold Out! Visit the Enclave Debut Sales Center Page 15 August 2 0 15 By Alessandra Dagirmanjian You may have noticed one of the newest additions to Old Town Scottsdale: Pedego Electric Bikes on Fifth Avenue. But have you had the chance to meet its owners Bill and Kathy Puryear? Since opening the store in February, the Scottsdale couple has welcomed customers from around the country, as well as a few international visitors, to try out their bikes and tour the town. For Bill and Kathy, designing and opening their store has been exactly the new adventure they hoped for a year ago. Their idea to open their own store began last summer, when Kathy retired after 30 years as an elementary school teacher. The couple traveled to California on a surprise trip Bill planned for their 30th anniversary. While there, they visited friends on the Central Coast and rode Pedego bikes on the beach. Since they had so much fun riding the bikes, they decided to start researching other locations where the bikes were available and eventually stumbled upon one in Coronado. They soon realized, though, that there were no Pedego stores or anything like them near where they lived in Scottsdale, and thought this might be the perfect opportunity to get involved in their local business community. Although Bill has worked as the manager of a law firm, a contractor and a real estate broker, neither he nor Kathy had ever opened their own store. Nevertheless, the couple confidently reached out to Pedego, drew up a business plan, and began a licensed dealership relationship, which allows them to sell the bikes out of their own store. After preparing and filling the store with Pedego bikes, they were ready for business. Bill and Kathy sold their first bike, a tandem, in February, on Super Bowl Sunday. “I took a lot of pride in the mechanics of laying out the space, getting it painted and fixed up, and turning a raw space into what was going to be a future Pedego showroom,” said Bill. After opening the store, Bill and Kathy A Scottsdale couple’s adventure becomes their business Kathy and Bill Puryear start a new phase in life opening Pedego Electric Bikes in Scottsdale. were somewhat nervous since neither of them had any previous experience selling bikes. They also faced the challenge of making people aware of their location, and getting them into the store to see their product. Yet, since opening their doors, Bill and Kathy have loved assisting and having conversations with each new customer the business brings. “It’s just hysterically fun to watch people get on the bikes and turn the motor on and then hear all their laughter and giggles. It’s intriguing, because we’re selling fun,” said Kathy. Bill and Kathy love the location of their store as well, which has a parking lot directly across the street where they can teach customers how to use the bikes safely. They also love being in Old Town, just a few minutes from their home and are both incredibly invested in the community and its businesses. The couple says the store has become a source of pride for them and a way of meeting wonderful people from around the world. “It’s not something I would have ever thought of or considered doing a year ago. For me, being retired, this is such a great adventure,” said Kathy. BEHIND THE BUSINESS