34 MAY 2021 By Deja Brumfield Food is the most significant contributor to landfills in America, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Nearly 40 million tons of food go to waste in landfills every year, and the Scottsdale nonprofit Waste Not is aiming to reduce that. For more than three decades, Waste Not has combated food waste in the Valley. They partner with over 100 local businesses, such as restaurants, convention centers, catering companies and grocery stores to deliver excess prepared and perishable food to 80 Valley organizations. According to Waste Not Executive Director Kate Thoene, the nonprofit’s model is what makes it so unique compared to other organizations that help with food waste redirection. “We’re one of the only organizations – I think the only organization in Arizona – that will take prepared and unpackaged food from places like the convention center downtown or catering companies and event venues,” Thoene said. Waste Not relies heavily on donations and partnerships. Atlasta Catering, a full-service event planning and catering company, has been a partner of Waste Not for 12 years. The company’s President and CEO Steve Short said their partnership with Waste Not came after years of trying to focus on sustainable ways to save food waste. “Before Waste Not, we tried to save all of our over-prepped food items. We would freeze them, and then once or twice a month, we would heat the food, and we’d take it to different homeless shelters that we have relationships with,” Short said. Short explained that the company started thinking long term about their processes and how they could contribute less to landfills. “We wanted to go to a zero-landfill model with all of our kitchens, and the only way that we got there was through Waste Not,” he said. Waste Not continues to form new partnerships, and last year teamed up with Laura’s Gourmet Granola. The company’s founder and owner, Laura Briscoe, said that Gourmet Granola has always taken a philanthropic approach when it comes to being able to share its product. During the pandemic, they found that some organizations were less willing to accept donations. Waste Not, however, offered a solution. The nonprofit was able to take Briscoe’s excess product that was usable but not sellable and donate it to organizations in need. “The most rewarding part is that the product – that I think may end up going to waste – finds a home on someone’s plate. For us, we love the idea that what we do could be enjoyed by anyone, no matter who that individual is,” Briscoe said. Thoene said that Waste Not continuously reaches out to food service industry workers to let them know that the nonprofit can be a business solution for excess food needs and help people in need as well. “The most rewarding part is when I go out to the agencies we serve, and I see the people that benefit from the food we provide and know that our work is impactful to those individuals and those families,” Thoene said. wastenotaz.org Local nonprofit redirects excess food from landfills to plates By Cliff Summerhill If you’re looking for a desert adventure that’s just a little jaunt away, you might be in luck with Goldfield Ghost Town. Located off Route 88 outside of Apache Junction, this old mining town is now a popular western attraction visited by people from all over the world. The town of Goldfield was established initially in 1892 during a gold boom. The town reached a population of almost 4,000 but soon foundered when miners extracted all the gold out of the Goldfield Mine. In 1910, new mines were established and a small community named Youngsberg emerged. But by 1926, those mines closed as well, and the town was deserted. Unfortunately, a fire in 1943 destroyed most of the town, and it remained in ruins until it was sold to resident Bob Schoose and his business partners in 1983. Five years later, the place was reborn as Goldfield Ghost Town. The area is laid out the same as the original Goldfield site, and some of the original building foundations were used. The snack bar is located on the site where Doc Waterbury lived. He was the last owner of the mine until the 1970s. The privately owned town became a passion for Schoose, who named himself the unofficial mayor of Goldfield. Schoose even wrote a book about the history called Goldfield Boom to Bust – Arizona Territory 1893 . In addition to its historically recreated main street, Goldfield Ghost Town hosts a variety of unique attractions. There is the Goldfield Historical Museum and LuLu’s Bordello, which showcases a historical performance about the women of the 1800s. Other features include the Superstition Zipline, where guests can see the entire town from 115 feet in the air. Visitors can also visit the Eagle Eye Shooting Gallery, do some gold panning and see the Goldfield Gunfighters show. Several tours are available, including the Goldfield Mine Tour, Apache Trail Tours and a walking ghost tour. Goldfield Ghost Town is free to visit. The cost of the attractions ranges from $2-10 per person. Relive the Old West right outside of Phoenix For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39 WHERE EVERYONE IS WELCOME Bible Classes, Sunday 9:30 a.m. • Worship at 10:30 a.m. 5225 E. Camelback Rd. | Phoenix, AZ 85018 | 602.840.2661 www.camelbackchurchofchrist.org