FREE City Ready Blueprints with any room addition* *$1500 limit 2500 E Thomas Rd, Suite 103 Phoenix AZ 85016 Page 34 August 2 0 1 5 By Josh Cutlip With the start of school looming over the month of August, most of us are trying to fit our last big summer plans into our tight schedules. Getting back to school is a busy time for kids and parents – from finding school supplies and registering for classes to selecting the special outfit for the first day. But don’t let the start-of-school stress get you just yet. Embrace summer vacation while it’s still here. Whether you’re a parent, teacher or student, here are my top five things to do in the Phoenix area before school picks up again. 5. HIKE CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN Ok, I know what you are thinking, “Why would I want to hike a mountain in the middle of the summer?” Well, if you plan accordingly, the intense Arizona heat won’t even be a factor. Hiking Camelback early in the morning is a great way to start the day, and the top is a perfect place to watch the rising sun. Camelback provides two trails: Cholla, which is located on the east side of the mountain on Cholla Lane just west of North Invergordon Road. The Cholla trail is 3.2 miles (round trip) of a winding path that is mostly shaded if you hike in the morning. The steady incline makes it easier for beginners or anyone looking for a casual hike. Echo Canyon is the second trail and is located on the northwest side of the mountain, just off of East McDonald Drive. This rigorous, uphill climb of 2.4 miles (round trip) will test your legs, but it will get you to the top more quickly than Cholla because of its direct path. This trail is shaded as well and the view from the top is rewarding after a tough climb. If you’re not a morning person, the hike is also great in the late afternoon. Just remember to watch out for any monsoon storms and bring a lot of extra water! 4. CATCH A DIAMONDBACKS GAME With a tight race in the National League Western Division, a D-Backs game is a perfect event to take your mind off of the upcoming school year. On August 8, the Diamondbacks will hold a ceremony to retire Randy Johnson’s number, and they will also show post-game fireworks on August 7 and 28. Any of these dates will bring fun for longtime D-Backs fans, or even the whole family. 3. GO TO THE LAKE Tempe Town Lake has single kayaks, stand up paddle boards, pedal boats and row boats for hourly rental rates of $20 or less. They also offer pontoon boats or surrey top boats if you have a larger group (8-10) of people. If you have your own gear and feel like exploring a little more water than Tempe has to offer, Canyon Lake, Saguaro Lake and Lake Pleasant are other options within an hour or so of Arcadia. All three of those lakes also have lakeside restaurants, making it a perfect place to spend the day with friends or family. 2. SNOOZE Yes, sleeping in is great. But no, I am not talking about pausing your alarm. Snooze is a breakfast restaurant located in Tempe on College Avenue just north of Fifth Street. (There is a second location in the Camelback Corridor.) This restaurant has everything from breakfast sandwiches to sweet potato pancakes. They offer an array of egg dishes and an entire section of the menu dedicated to hollandaise. If you’re especially hungry, the giant breakfast burrito will not disappoint: a huge burrito filled with eggs, beans, hash browns and pico de gallo. Snooze is open seven days a week, making it a perfect place for a weekend brunch or a delicious meal before work. You should definitely plan on arriving early. But if you find out there’s a long wait it’s ok, the food is completely worth it. This is a popular place, so make sure you don’t snooze your alarm and miss their 6:30 a.m. opening. 1. THE STAND After a long week of running errands and crossing off the last few items on your summer list, or even a long day spent relaxing in the sun, I couldn’t think of a better way to end than with a milkshake from a local Arcadia restaurant. The Stand has a few different flavors, including the classic chocolate and vanilla, but their specialty shakes are what really set them apart. They serve a vanilla with chocolate swirl called the Black and White, a Chocolate Chili, the Banana Stand, and a Dulce De Leche (salted caramel). These hand-spun, real ice cream shakes will not disappoint. Pro tip: You can also mix flavors. I suggest mixing the salted caramel and Banana Stand to create a delicious caramel banana shake unlike anything you’ve ever tasted. The Stand also has one of the best burgers I’ve ever had and three different kinds of street tacos to satisfy every kind of palate. The family friendly environment is open every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday) and is located at 3538 E. Indian School Rd. Gimme 5: Five things to do before the school year begins

Page 35 August 2015 By Kaley Kalil Rachel Rodia, 27, is currently attending Concordia University Wisconsin and working toward her Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy. In May, Rodia and a group of colleagues and faculty members traveled to Nicaragua to provide therapy to locals in need. “We flew in and out of Managua (the country’s capital), but spent the majority of our trip in a small rural village outside of Chinandega on the Pacific Ocean called El Viejo,” Rodia said. There, the group stayed with a nurse named Meg – a Wisconsin native who moved to El Viejo in 2003 to begin an organization called The Circle of Empowerment. “The primary goal of this organization is to empower the Nicaraguan people through increased knowledge of healthcare treatments and procedures, as well as to build a strong educational system for their children,” Rodia said. Meg built her home on the beach to double as a multi-purpose clinic, from which she and her Nicaraguan staff all work and teach. “The work that this woman does for the Nicaraguan people is phenomenal,” Rodia said. As both a service trip and hands-on learning experience for Concordia students, the university sends student groups to stay with Meg several times a year. While there, the students provide occupational and physical therapy services to nine rural villages. “Members of the community with physical or mental disabilities are evaluated and treated for occupational therapy, physical therapy, or both. We served a mix of both children and adults – whomever was in need,” Rodia said. The group woke up every morning at 6:00 to enjoy a walk on the beach before breakfast at 7:00. From about 8 a.m. until noon, they would either see patients in their own homes, or treat them in the courtyard at Meg’s house. Rodia and her colleagues treated clients of all ages, with diagnoses such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism, traumatic brain injuries, gunshot wounds, amputations, strokes, and spinal cord injuries. “For a man with a stroke who was paralyzed on the left side of his body, we taught him how to shave his face independently using safe techniques. For a boy with cerebral palsy that was struggling to keep up with school work, we adjusted his pencil grip and gave him finger strengthening exercises to decrease fatigue while writing and be more successful in school,” Rodia said. As she and her colleagues exhausted their Spanish-speaking abilities, translators “bounced between a few sessions at a time.” “However, this was very stress-free, as the locals all run on what some of the translators called ‘Nica time.’ In other words – no rush, no hurry,” Rodia said. The group would then break for lunch before seeing patients again from 1-5 p.m. Dinner was usually served around 6 p.m., followed by relaxation and note-taking from the day’s experiences. “Houses were typically wood hutches constructed out of palms. But, in some communities, a few families had brick houses,” Rodia said. “The local people would always smile and wave, and the children were even more energetic when we would pass.” When they weren’t providing therapy, Rodia and her colleagues enjoyed activities like zip-lining, hiking the active Masaya Volcano (which last erupted in 2008), and shopping in the city of Granada – a long-time center of commerce for the country and growing tourism hub. “I had such an amazing experience; I would go back in a heartbeat. To touch the lives of others… it’s a wonderfully humbling feeling,” Rodia said. “Some of the individuals I was blessed to meet were so jubilant with what little they had. It really put things into perspective in a beautiful way.” To learn more about the organization Rodia volunteered with, visit http://circleofempowerment.weebly.com. Rodia will be moving back to Phoenix in December to complete six months of fieldwork in order to graduate and sit for the Occupational Therapy national boards. She plans to stay in Phoenix upon completion of her degree. — Traveled lately? Tell Kaley via email: kaley@arcadianews.com. Arcadia grad student gains field experience in Nicaragua Rachel worked with patients suffering from a variety of ailments. WHERE’S THE NEIGHBOR? Arizona Parents Look to Tuition Insurance to Protect One of their Biggest Investments It sounds like a good plan: go to college for four years and graduate on time with a valuable degree. But finishing college in four years is frequently not the norm as unforeseen circumstances can derail even the best and the brightest students. As college tuition costs continue to rise, parents have become increasingly concerned about what will happen to their tuition investment if their child has to suddenly withdraw from school. Fortunately for Arizona residents, tuition insurance may provide the answer to these concerns. A recent survey of parents with college-aged children – conducted by Allianz Global Assistance, a world leader in travel insurance, assistance and personal services, and a subsidiary of Allianz, one of the world’s largest property and casualty insurers – found that nearly 50 percent of respondents would purchase tuition insurance if it was available. Seeing an opportunity to assist parents and students in protecting their tuition investment, Allianz Global Assistance has launched its new tuition insurance product in Arizona along with a few other states including Georgia and New Jersey. “Our survey shows that parents and students are clearly worried about what will happen to their tuition investment in the case of a sudden withdrawal,” said Joe Mason, chief marketing officer at Allianz Global Assistance. “We are very pleased that residents of Arizona are among the first in the nation who can take advantage of the opportunity to purchase tuition insurance to protect their investment.” Allianz Tuition Insurance, which starts at $29.95 a term, protects Arizona residents for both in-state and out-of-state non-refundable tuition costs and fees, including room and board. In Arizona, the average tuition for a four-year university is approximately $10,398 a year. Nationally, the average annual cost of tuition, fees and room and board ranges from $19,000 at a public, four-year university to $40,000 at a private university. Tuition insurance may be more important than ever as tuition costs have risen 70 percent since 2000, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. According to Forbes, only 32 percent of students entering a four-year public university will graduate in four years, and only 55 percent of students, according to the NSC Research Center, will graduate in six years. Additionally, most schools only provide partial reimbursement of tuition if a student has to suddenly withdraw. And, depending on when the student withdraws, the school may not provide any refund. Allianz Tuition Insurance* is available in three different and distinct plans, including the Essential and Preferred plans, which cover withdrawals due to illness, injury or psychological issues, and the Advantage plan, which covers these circumstances as well as almost any unforeseen reason. Additionally, each plan includes a round-the-clock Student Life Assistance service that assists families in the event that a student becomes ill or injured. With the rising cost of higher education and the strict guidelines many schools have in place for reimbursements, Allianz Global Assistance’s Tuition Insurance offers additional peace of mind with affordable options that start at $29.95 per term. Considering the fact that a college education is an important and significant investment, it only makes sense to protect that investment with tuition insurance. 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