VISIT OUR SHOWROOM 4454 E. Thomas Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85018 Open Mon-Thurs 8:30-5 p.m. & Fri 8:30-4 p.m. 24 JULY 2020 By Jeff Pearson Collecting can add zip and zest to your life. Many collectors collect for the pleasure that each item brings to them. However, there are some who think each treasure found will become an investment. As appraisers, there are many times when we are forced to give clients unpopular news. Recently we were asked to appraise a collection of die cast Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars from 1988 to 1999. The collector had a room with over 450 Hot Wheels, all in their original boxes or cartons and in excellent condition. He believed his vast collection of toy vehicles would double or triple in value. An amassed collection won’t likely offer you what you are looking for, especially if it lacks specificity or isn’t narrowed down by certain criteria. For toy car collectors, to get a return on the cars you’ve collected, you must belong to a specialty club and find a buyer who’s willing to pay a higher price for a specific type of vintage toy car. Another collection we appraised was a rather large assortment of Hummel figurines. Most people have one or two, but the avid collector may have dozens. Before eBay narrowed the buying world and opened up once-locked markets, Hummels were expensive and regulated. A few years back, a buyer would have been able to head off to Costco and buy a four-inch “Merry Wanderer” for less than $100, compared to one that was purchased in Europe in 1985 for over $250. Values have shifted, and what once was a collection of merit is now a memory. But to the keen collector who knows the history of marks and symbols, the first ones still hold value – only to the buyer who is looking. No matter what you collect, be it Matchbox cars, Hummels, shrunken heads or those little Snow Baby figurines – collect for the joy they bring. The search is half the fun. Having what you searched for in your collection gives you a feeling of fulfillment and a job well done in your quest. — Contact Jeff at damshill@yahoo.com or A-Z Appraisal & Estate Consultants, 5525 N. 12th St., Phoenix, Arizona 85014. The joy of collecting ASK THE APPRAISERS or those little Snow Baby

25 JULY 2020 By Amanda Savage The state shutdown on March 18 completely disrupted how the Phoenix Zoo conducted business. “When we shut down, more than 80 percent of our revenue went away, so we lost over four and a half million dollars in less than three months, because we closed during our busy season,” director of communications at the Phoenix Zoo Linda Hardwick said. “We knew we were never going to make that up. How could we adapt and do something to bring in a little bit of revenue?” Hardwick’s team acted fast. They launched a Digital Safari educational resource within days of knowing they would be shutting down. Hardwick’s social media team set-up a Cameo profile for the zoo’s resident sloth, Fernando, that went viral. Cameo is a website and app where people can pay celebrities (who have profiles) to send messages to loved ones. Fernando has earned the zoo about $10,000 so far. On Friday, May 1, Hardwick’s team discovered another possible opportunity on Facebook. They saw that the San Antonio Zoo, a fellow member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, was hosting a drive-thru zoo event. After it sold out within days, Hardwick’s team organized an executive meeting for the following Monday. By Wednesday, tickets were being sold for “Cruise the Zoo” and opening day was scheduled for Friday, May 8. Much needed to be done within the few days between the executive team’s sign-off and the first parade of cars rolling through the gates. From animal welfare to technology, graphic design and operations, the team pulled through. Thousands of Valley residents have attended the Cruise the Zoo drive-thru experience, which provides a way to visit the zoo safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of foot traffic, visitors experience the zoo by driving through it. “It was really neat to see how fast all these different teams moved and worked together to make it happen,” Hardwick said. “The first weekend we ran CTZ we saw 650 cars each day of Friday through Monday; that’s 2,600 vehicles.” The event has become streamlined and a completely contactless experience. Themed photos can be pre- purchased and sent to smartphones, snacks can be reserved and are distributed via color-coded stickers on windshields. “We chose the trails that allow for the most amount of animals to be seen,” Hardwick said. The event hasn’t only been enriching for humans seeking leisure outside of the home. “We did notice that the animals started missing that guest interaction,” Hardwick said. Even though zoo staff members stepped-up to engage the animals while there weren’t guests, they didn’t seem to replace wild children for animal entertainment. “To see children and families hanging out of their windows and out of the moon roof, that was definitely something different, and the animals loved it. They were very curious,” Hardwick said. “It has been nice to open Cruise the Zoo so people can see animals in person because there’s definitely no replacement for that.” Despite a limited reopening of the zoo in June, Cruise the Zoo has been extended to the first weekends (Thursday through Sunday) of July and August during the zoo’s summer hours, from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more: phoenixzoo.org/cruisethezoo Phoenix Zoo stays connected to guests with Cruise the Zoo Cruise the Zoo’s opening date in early May saw over 2,000 vehicles (some even decorated with signs saying ‘hello’ to the animals) drive through its gates. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PHOENIX ZOO