4 MAY 2026 Meet Sparky . He is 11 years old but you’d never know it because he’s as friendly and frisky as a – well – a rambunctious Labradoodle. We bought him in a live auction at the ASU Football Banquet and thus, his name. And he lives up to it! His favorite hobby is sitting in the window, watching the neighborhood go by. – Ray A. Bandit the Sheepadoodle is five years old and has been with us since he was eight weeks old. Bandit loves catching the Frisbee every night as well as meeting his other neighborhood dog friends for Yappy Hour. His tail is constantly wagging as he looks to make new human or dog friends. – Randy H. I adopted Blanca from Barb’s Dog Rescue in Rocky Point 14 years ago when she was six weeks old. She only weighs four pounds but is definitely the boss in our house and gets what she wants. The best companion dog I could ever ask for and loves to get attention from everyone. – Cindy H. Meet Ary , a 15-year-old Jackaranian (Jack Russell Terrier/Pomeranian mix). In her free time, she likes to lay by her dad and pretend to like MLB Network. She also loves going on walks, pretending she hasn’t been fed yet, and hugs – unless you’re hugging someone else, then she barks. – Gabe T. EDITOR’S NOTE Our latest edition is packed – and I mean packed – with all the goodness that May brings. Not only are we celebrating Mother’s Day with lots of bites and sips (if I never see the word ‘brunch’ again…), there’s also Cinco de Mayo specials taking place at Valley restaurants and even a couple of full blown parties with mariachi music, performances and activities for kids. If Cinco is not your scene, maybe we can entice you with a Kentucky Derby shindig? A few resorts and neighborhood spots will have food and drink specials, and if you have a hat with a giant flower bouquet on top of it, well, this is the time to show it off. The Arcadia Cares: Food for Kidz Packathon marked a record-breaking year as more than 500 volunteers came together over five packing shifts to assemble 144,480 meals, pushing the decade-long initiative past ONE MILLION total meals packed. Founded in 2014, the event brings together community members, churches, schools and area organizations to combat food insecurity, with meals distributed locally, across the U.S., and to international and tribal partners. A huge shout out to the organizers and volunteers – we’re proud to share what amazing Arcadians are up to! Speaking of awesome neighbors, Arcadia Little League debuted the Allgood Sportsmanship award, named in honor of longtime umpire Major Allgood. Major was recognized for his 20 years of service marked by integrity, mentorship and dedication to the game. A very cool award, indeed. And before I forget… Happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas out there – we love you! Have the most beautiful May, and thank you, as always, for reading the Arcadia News . – Mallory Gleich – Mallory Gleich UPCOMING THEMES: No one has better coverage in the areas of Arcadia, Biltmore and the Camelback Corridor. Promote your business to 45,000 loyal Arcadia News readers. For more: call/text 602-840-6379 or email ads@arcadianews.com .       Would you like to share your pet? Send a photo and a description (50 words max) of your pet to editor@arcadianews.com or text it to 602.840.6379. Include your pet’s name and age, along with any fun facts about them you’d like to share. All animals are welcome! “The world’s favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May.” – Edwin Way Teale Take your Mom out for dinner. 20% off any order over $15.00! Off er expires 5/31/26. Valid with coupon only. Present coupon at time of purchase. May not be combined with any other offer. 1 coupon per person. Valid at all 8 locations. No cash value. Coupon cannot be reproduced. 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5 MAY 2026 By Rachael Bouley Over five packing shifts this March, upwards of 500 community volunteers worked together to pack a record-breaking 144,480 meals for the tenth annual Arcadia Cares: Food for Kidz Packathon. The 2026 iteration was extra special. They celebrated not only their most successful year yet, but have also packed more than one million meals total over the past decade, a huge milestone for the event organizers and volunteers. The first Packathon was launched in 2014 by a group of community members, including Steve Crofton and Heidi Staudenmaier, who partnered with Food for Kidz, a nationwide nonprofit that organizes mobile packing events to address food insecurity. Volunteers help by packing food or donating toward the purchase of ingredients. The impact is widespread, from local food banks and shelters to U.S. disaster relief, refugees, disabled veterans, and those experiencing homelessness. “From the beginning, we have emphasized families with children working together, a rarity in community volunteer work,” Prince of Peace Pastor Rick Sherrill said. Roughly 50 percent of the meals have been delivered to local food insecurity organizations for use in the greater Phoenix area, 40 percent were delivered to international relief organizations, and 10 percent went to the Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Arizona. Over the years, the assembly line-style project has expanded with support from several churches, schools, scouting troops, and Boys Team Charity. Reaching the one million meals milestone represents a decade of commitment and service. “In a world where social and economic challenges often seem intractable, there was a sense of joy and gratitude at making this type of monumental impact,” Pastor Rick said. “The reaction from the volunteers during those two days was boisterous. We were all blessed to be a part of it.” Partnerships with organizations and fundraising gifts from generous donors helped motivate the mission. With 10 years under their belts, the committee knows the keys to success for smooth operations, including awesome dance music and a big goal, helping to motivate volunteers and bring enthusiasm to an all-time high. The positive atmosphere made it possible to pack more meals than ever before. “The packathon is a shining model of bringing local community organizations together around a common goal,” Pastor Rick said. “When people of diverse backgrounds and belief systems come together in joy and purpose, it is a snapshot of how we hope the rest of our lives can be.” As the lovingly-packed meals make a difference to those in need, the event committee and wider Arcadia community are already looking forward to next year. “My favorite part of being involved is diverse people serving together with joy,” Pastor Rick said. “We have no plans to stop now and hope to top the two million mark in meals packed in the near future.” Food for Kidz Packathon hits one million meal milestone The assembly line-style event has expanded with support from churches, schools, families, scouting troops, nonprofits and more. PHOTOS COURTESY OF HEIDI STAUDENMAIER ArcadianPHX.com ArcadianPHX.com Enjoy The Perks. Skip the High HOA Fees. exclusively at FREE MEMBERSHIP FOR A YEAR Scan for Details