34 FEBRUARY 2025 I f the last time you visited Gilbert was ten years ago, you would not recognize it today. What was once a few restaurants is now more than 30 destination dining spots near almost two dozen shopping options in a 1.5-mile stretch of Gilbert Road. The heart of the city is the Heritage District, and it has become one of the Valley’s most walkable areas. Seven days a week, 365 days a year, there are people walking day and night. On Saturday mornings, it’s hopping with activity next to the town’s iconic Water Tower. The Gilbert Farmer’s Market, with more than 100 vendors year-round, boasts chemical-free, organic produce from local farmers, farm fresh eggs, meat, cheese, bread, sweets, coffee and tea, sauces, seasonings, treats and gifts for your pooch and more. What farmer’s market would be complete without food trucks? Each week, Gilbert Farmer’s Market has a variety of repeat and brand-new offerings. Beside the farmer’s market is one of the OG restaurants that kicked off Heritage District’s renaissance. Liberty Market is the perfect spot to grab a bite for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but its outstanding artisan coffee program is my main reason for visiting. My favorite pick-me-up is the Cortadito, a double dose of micro-Cuban lattes. Thick and creamy with a punch of espresso, the drink gives off a smooth, sweet aftertaste thanks to the turbinado sugar. Joe Johnston might just be the best thing to happen to Gilbert. He is, after all, a self-described vision person, and those visions, so far, have paid off: Liberty Market, Joe’s Real BBQ, Topo Arizona, Agritopia, Joe’s Farm Grill, BARNONE and Epicenter all have Joe Johnston’s mark. He is helping create spaces where people can gather and connect as a community. Further north on Gilbert Road is where visitors will find Tricia Arce, owner of Toasted Mallow. What’s funny about Tricia’s story is that she isn’t actually a fan of the classic marshmallow – something about the texture she finds off-putting. Her son, however, really loves them, so Tricia decided to create a marshmallow she could enjoy with her boy. A baking contest at work created the perfect opportunity. Tricia brought in the homemade marshmallows and they were a hit at the office – so much so that it prompted mom to sell her creations on Etsy. The marshmallows took off. Tricia quit her job and she and her wife opened a brick-and-mortar shop in Gilbert. Toasted Mallow offers more than 30 flavors, cupcakes frosted with a marshmallow frosting, milkshakes with marshmallow fluff, moon pies, fluffernutter sandwiches, cookie sandwiches and s’mores. Who knew that marshmallows are so versatile? From the bustling farmer’s market to the innovative ventures of entrepreneurs like Joe Johnston and Tricia Arce, Gilbert exemplifies the power of vision, passion, and community connection. gilbertmarket.com thetoastedmallow.com Come be part of Gilbert’s Heritage District renaissance Robin is the host and executive producer of the Arizona Highways Television , Saturdays and Sundays on CBS. BY ROBIN SEWELL Liberty Market Toasted Mallow Topo Arizona Religious Instruction • Strong Academics • Cutting Edge Technology • Service Learning Leadership Programs • PE and Interscholastic Sports • Instrumental and Vocal Music “Arts Attack” Program • School Nurse • Bus Transportation Available HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE CLS PRESCHOOL! 3901 East Indian School Road • 602-957-7010 • www.clsphx.org CHRIST LUTHERAN SCHOOL Christian Values. Quality Education. Preschool through Grade 8

35 FEBRUARY 2025 F ebruary is a great time to continue setting goals for the future. Unfortunately, achieving something new can often mean letting go of something else. For example, to have a new job, you will eventually have to let go of your current role. As much as you are gaining something new, you will also lose something. We don’t think about how much our jobs mean to us. They are often a bigger part of our identity than we are consciously aware of. And, we are attached to our colleagues more than we might want to admit. On more than one occasion, I’ve stayed in a job longer than I should have because I loved my team. Change can also be tough when the decision is made for you. From the news reports, it’s clear that many companies used the end of 2024 to lay off workers. This is a tough experience for anyone, and can take months or years to fully recover. Whatever the reason, if you want to look for a new role, this is the perfect time to begin. Start by sprucing up your LinkedIn profile. Ensure your resume is up to date, and uses a current style. If you haven’t searched in a while, look online to find the latest resume trends. Think twice before publicly posting on LinkedIn that you are open to work. It’s a new trend to let your network know that you’re looking for a job. Unfortunately, if you are still employed, it may make you look like you aren’t committed to the company. If you aren’t working, it might make you look desperate. It’s better to tell your contacts individually that you’re looking. Set your profile as open to work privately, so that recruiters who are looking for candidates will find you. Reconnect with old business contacts, and friends who may be aware of job openings, but be sure to lead with your friendship, rather than your request for help. When everything is up to date, begin to apply for jobs, but don’t apply in the typical online way – or if you do, do more than just apply. Try to find the hiring manager. In other words, try to look up your potential future boss on LinkedIn and send them a message. If they like you, they will ask the recruiter to interview you. It can be a faster and easier process than applying online. Today is the perfect time for new beginnings, and I wish you luck! New beginnings Career Corner Career expert and founder of Copeland Coaching. copelandcoaching.com BY ANGELA COPELAND Ray and Eunice Williams met in 1943 at a USO dance. After the war, Ray began his career in education with SUSD as a teacher and school bus driver. He served the majority of his 37 years in the industry as principal of Tavan Elementary. Ray passed in November 2010 at age 90. Eunice worked with voter registration, elections, and had a side-business as a seamstress. Most of her time was spent raising sons Alan, Dan, and Steve. Once everyone was out of the house Eunice enjoyed crafts, travel, and reading. Alan attended ASU for his undergraduate, but his graduate studies at the University of Utah were interrupted by being drafted. He served in Vietnam, then pursued a career in chemical engineering. He is retired and lives with his wife Carolynn in Colorado. They have two daughters, Chrissy and Julie. Dan completed a zoology degree at ASU then moved to Finland where he met his wife Marjorie (an American touring Finland). They married and moved back to the USA. They have two children, Mathew and Miriam. Dan got his Doctorate at Auburn University and began teaching biology at the college level in Montana and Nevada. Steve was in outdoor retail for 18 years before getting a degree in elementary education at ASU and a Masters in educational leadership from NAU. He has two sons, Kurtis and Colin. He taught at Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center, later renamed Echo Canyon. 30 YEARS AGO Ray’s first fifth grade class, circa 1948.  30 30 ARCADIANEWSARCHIVES.COM