16 September 2015 www.GilbertSunNews.comNeighbors

Dignity Health’s pet therapy program is largest in East Valley

Laura Ibsen’s dogs, Patches and Scooter, are two of 45 star canine volunteers in the East Valley’s largest hospital based pet therapy program, Dignity Health’s Paws for Patients.

Ibsen and Patches, a Yorkie who is now 12, were one of the two original volunteer teams when the pet therapy program started at Dignity Health Chandler Regional Medical Center. Then in 2006, Ibsen was asked to lead the program’s expansion to Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center.

Over the years, the program has quadrupled in size, welcoming new team members like Ibsen’s 1-year-old Havanese named Scooter.

She knows firsthand the hardships associated with a hospital stay and quickly learned the critical benefits of a dog’s unconditional love.

“I was diagnosed with lupus and scleroderma as a child and have been hospitalized more than 80 times in my life,” said Ibsen, 39. “When I was sick, my dog always made me feel better. I was a kid then, and didn’t quite understand what was happening. I just knew I felt

better when my dog was around.” Then in college, watching her friend

struggle with cancer provided definitive proof that dogs made a difference in patient care. Every time she brought her dog to visit, Ibsen saw a newfound peace in her friend’s demeanor. Even as her friend grew more ill, it became more apparent to Ibsen that the dog was doing something extraordinary for her friend.

“At one point, she was in bed and didn’t respond to anything. But, I laid my dog next to her and she smiled, and started petting the dog,” Ibsen recalled. “One to two days later, she passed away. Her interaction with my dog was the last bit of reaction or response that anybody saw out of her.”

Dignity Health’s Paws for Patient program not only spreads human kindness, but it also makes a significant difference for patients. Light play and calm repose lift the spirits of patients, which has been shown to lower blood pressure and anxiety. Inclusion of animals in a patient’s care aids greater comfort, progress and recovery. Diagnosed with lupus and scleroderma, Laura Ibsen understands the importance of having pets

for therapy. Submitted photo

McAlister’s Deli expanding to Gilbert in 2016

The fast-casual chain McAlister’s Deli is opening five restaurants in the Valley, including Gilbert.

The exact location has yet to be revealed. Currently, McAlister’s has two restaurants—on North Tatum Boulevard in Phoenix and on West Bell Road in Peoria.

Franchisees Jyoti Madhura, Preet Saini and Sanjiv Bhagat have extensive multiunit franchising experience as owners of

multiple restaurant concepts and service brands in Las Vegas, California and Phoenix.

“As McAlister’s looks to expand throughout the West Coast, Arizona plays an important role in our growth strategy,” said Jeff Sturgis, McAlister’s vice president of franchise development.

“With only two locations in the entire state, we have significant opportunity to grow our footprint, particularly in Phoenix. Jyoti, Preet and Sanjiv have a strong background operating restaurants across the Western U.S. and we’re thrilled they have joined McAlister’s.”

Saini said Arizona’s restaurant industry is thriving as residents, especially Millennials, are dining out more and eager to try new concepts.

“Coupled with the fact that these days more people are choosing healthier food options, it was a strategic choice to find a brand that offered healthier menu items for residents,” Saini said. “Additionally, fast casual is the fastest-growing segment of the restaurant industry, so we’re confident McAlister’s will do incredibly well in Phoenix and are excited to grow the brand’s presence here.”

Founded in 1989, McAlister’s Deli is known for its sandwiches, spuds, soups, salads, desserts and McAlister’s Famous Sweet Tea. In addition to dine-in and take-out service, McAlister’s also offers catering with a selection of sandwich trays, box lunches, desserts, a hot spud bar and more.

With numerous industry accolades, the McAlister’s brand has 337 restaurants in 24 states. The company is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia. For more information, visit www.mcalistersdeli.com.

McAlister’s Deli will be opening five Valley locations. Submitted photo

McAlister’s Deli is known for its sandwiches, soups, salads, spuds and desserts. Submitted photo

www.GilbertSunNews.com September 2015 17 Neighbors

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18 September 2015 www.GilbertSunNews.comNeighbors

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Jesse and Toni Bolander have opened a new Papa Murphy’s, the country’s largest take-and-bake pizza chain, in Gilbert at 1981 E. Pecos Rd., Suite 104. The newest Gilbert location is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and it is the 46th Papa Murphy’s Pizza location to open in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

The Papa Murphy’s will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14 with the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce, kicking off a long weekend celebration of pizza specials and community activities.

On Wednesday, Oct. 14, Thursday, Oct. 15, and Sunday, Oct. 18, the Pecos location will offer large pepperoni pizzas for $6 each.

At 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, the first 100 customers in line will receive a free large pepperoni pizza. When that giveaway ends, large pepperoni pizzas will be marked at $4 on Saturday.

Additionally, the new location will offer customers pizza tasting, games, prizes and other kid-friendly activities throughout the day on Saturday.

Customers can text AZ099 to 90421 through Tuesday, Oct. 15, for a chance to

win the grand prize of free pizza for a year. The Bolanders’ team is committed to

creating excellent pizzas for every guest. Papa Murphy’s dough is scratch-made with love daily using high protein wheat flour.

Each pizza is handmade to order and features fresh grated 100 percent whole milk mozzarella, cheddar and provolone cheeses.

They use butcher quality meat topics with no fillers, which include crispy bacon, Canadian bacon, salami, pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef and grilled chicken.

Other sliced-by-hand toppings include Roma tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, green peppers and zucchini. Pizza lovers can also add unique toppings like spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes.

For more information about the Gilbert and Pecos location, call (480) 726-6770.

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Marilyn June Janson, M.S., Ed., owner of Janson Literary Services Inc. has scheduled a series of local publishing and creative writing classes. For more information, visit www.janwrite.com.

For online classes, register at janlitserv@cox.net or call (480) 699-6389.

In-person classes include:• Author Publishing and Marketing

Workshop. Learn about what’s new and how the industry has changed: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturdays, Sept. 5 through Sept. 26. Classes are $60 with a $10 fee paid to the instructor. Students meet at the Southeast Regional Library, 775 N. Greenfield Rd., Gilbert. Register by calling (480) 503-6200.

• Fiction Writing Workshop. Hone your writing skills in the genres of short stories, novels, children’s young adult, Manga and Anime, family history and memoirs: 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays, Sept. 5 through Sept. 26. Classes are $60 with a $10 fee paid to the instructor. Students meet at the Southeast Regional Library. To register, call (480) 503-6200.

• Autobiographical Novel Writing Workshop. Dreaming of turning your

life story into a novel? Unlock secrets, create composite characters, add tension, suspense and mystery. Classes are 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 9 through Sept. 30, at the Chandler Community Center Downtown, 125 E. Commonwealth Ave., Chandler. Residents pay $28, while the nonresident charge is $38. To register, call (480) 782-2727.

• Family History and Memoir Writing Workshop: Short Stories, Culture and Memoirs. The class meets from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays, Sept. 14 through Oct. 5, at the Chandler Senior Center, 202 E. Boston Ave., Chandler. Residents are charged $28 while nonresidents pay $38. A $10 fee is paid to the instructor. To register, call (480) 782-2720.

Writing classes offered throughout July

www.GilbertSunNews.com September 2015 19Neighbors

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BY MICHELLE TALSMA EVERSONJimmy Hales, a local software developer,

believes in living life to the fullest and inspires others to do the same. So, when he found himself randomly competing in a national Chinese singing contest recently, he decided to embrace the extraordinary experience.

“While my life tends to be pretty spontaneous, little could prepare me for competing on a televised Chinese singing competition,” Hales said. “I did take part in (the Chinese version of) ‘The Voice’ while living in China two years ago and got pretty far, but I got cut the round before the television rounds.

“This time around, singing in a studio with hot lights, cameras, judges and a set of fellow competitors made the experience pretty nerve racking. I just went with things, but knowing that my musicianship was going to be shown to the world made me more nervous because I had a musical reputation to protect.”

How did this all come to pass? According to Hales, it was a random twist of fate.

“I stumbled on the competition by

accident,” he explained. “Literally, I was visiting my sister in California for the weekend and we saw a bunch of people on a stage in a mall, singing in Chinese. It turned out to be the first audition.”

Coincidently, Hales learned how to speak Mandarin fluently while serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and happens to be a singer.

“My sister told them I speak Mandarin, and within 30 seconds they put a microphone in my hands and brought me to the stage,” he said.

ETTV’s “Top Idol” Chinese pop singing competition took place last month and included contestants from auditions held around the country. It is modeled after “American Idol” and votes are tallied via a judging panel and online participaton, including social media and an app. While most of the songs were in Chinese, some were in English, and Hales placed just outside of the top three winners.

“I got much further in the competition than I was planning on getting. I was just thrilled to be part of it,” Hales said. “My fellow contestants and I became really

close by the time the competition ended. I was genuinely happy for those who placed in the top three...We have stayed in touch and plan on doing some collaborations on YouTube in the near future.”

So, what did Hales take away from this out-of-the-box experience?

“It was pretty difficult at times and I feel like now I have a much better understanding on what it takes to be a live singer,” he noted. “I still have a lot to learn.”

Hales explained that he comes from a musical family and one of his biggest supporters is his sister, Jolie, who was instrumental in spreading the word about his experience.

“Jimmy and I have always been very similar and close, and I really admire him for all the positive decisions he makes, including how he has coped with adversity in his life,” Jolie said.

“I always want good things to happen to him because he helps others so often and he deserves good things himself. Even if ‘good things’ comes randomly wrapped in a Chinese pop singing competition gift box, bring it on. And as long as he was on board, I was happy to support him along

the way.”Moving forward, Hales plans to keep

making music, exploring new instruments and promoting his work online. He can be found on Twitter at @JimmyHales and www.JimmyHales.com. He has a new YouTube channel for his music in the works.

An unexpected tunePerformer participates in Chinese singing contest

Local software developer Jimmy Hales stumbled upon an ETTV Chinese singing contest on accident. Photo courtesy of ETTV

20 September 2015 www.GilbertSunNews.comNeighbors

The Groves Grill community appreciation dayThe Groves Grill hosted a family/community appreciation day on Aug. 8, complete with face painting, games, raffle prizes, hot dogs and more. Owned by Chris and Tony Edwards, the restaurant is located at 323 S. Gilbert Rd. For more information, call (480) 307-8477 or visit www.thegrovesbarandgrill.com. GSN photos by Tim Sealy

The Groves Grill celebrates its customers with a block party.

Kamryn and Kelsey Lawrence and Nikolai Martinez play ring toss.

The day’s festivities are explained and the prizes revealed.

Kevin Wilson tries to pop balloons with a well-placed dart.

Kamryn Lawrence gives a pro effort.

Nikolai Martinez successfully bobbed and captured his apple.

Eli Barrientez gets a feline puppy-faced makeover.

Adriana Ortiz runs the face-painting table.Hailey Kooser steadies her aim. Matthew Morris and Brekin Wilson get a closer look at Matthew’s new look.

www.GilbertSunNews.com September 2015 21Neighbors

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22 September 2015 www.GilbertSunNews.comNeighbors

STORY AND PHOTOS BY KATHY KERBYThe colorful, eight-page menu at the

Phoenicia Café reminds me of a remark that my ASU nutrition professor made years ago.

He said that Americans don’t eat lamb because of their love for the poem “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Even if that’s true, there are enough options at the 10-year-old Phoenicia Café to make even the most discerning diner happy.

My husband, Lou, and I visited this gem of a restaurant at 1150 S. Gilbert Rd. on a recent Friday night. We discovered this wonderful taste of the Mediterranean in Gilbert.

A massive azure blue mural of the Mediterranean Sea greets patrons upon entering the large dining room. Comfortable booths and chairs hug the walls and a center island. The open kitchen in the rear and “sweets” counter on the side add to the ambiance.

As we waited for our food, our server, Yasmeen, told us that she is the daughter of owners Mohamed and Sylvia Belgaied who are from Tunisia and Macedonia, respectively. They moved to Arizona from Dearborn, Michigan, more than 20 years ago and opened a store, bakery and restaurant in Tempe. Later, they debuted the Gilbert location.

Yasmeen’s brother and chef, Fouad, greeted us from the kitchen as she told us that one day her sibling would take over for their parents. It is not often that we hear young people speak with such pride about their parents. That, alone, made our visit special.

For our meal, we chose a sandwich, a specialty dish and an entree. The Phoenicia Philly Steak ($7.99) was a tasty stack of thinly sliced steak, green and red peppers, onions, jack cheese and a special secret sauce. The Greek fries, topped with feta cheese and creamy dressing, that accompanied the sandwich were messy but delicious. The Shrimp Ghallaba ($13.99) was a fi rst for us. The combination

of sautéed shrimp, peppers, onions, tomatoes and carrots served with basmati yellow rice seasoned with turmeric was spicy without being too hot.

The beef kabob ($13.99) had cubes of grilled marinated fi let mignon served with tahini sauce and we enjoyed each tender morsel. For our sides, we tried the tabbouleh and the hummus. The tabbouleh had a symphony of strong fl avors zinging through each bite of fi nely minced parsley, tomatoes, onions, burghul, lemon, mint and olive oil. The creamy, spicy hummus with a basket of warm pita was outstanding.

A meal at Phoenicia Café would be incomplete without trying one of the fi ve varieties of Baklava ($1.99). This perfectly layered, rich, sweet masterpiece of thin pastry, honey and nuts is made by Sylvia with patience and love. Trust me when I say the Baklava alone is worth a trip to this family-owned and -operated Mediterranean delight in the heart of Gilbert.

Phoenicia Café1150 S. Gilbert Rd. Suite 104Gilbert 85296(480) 503-GYRO (4976)www.phoeniciacafe.com

Phoenicia Café serves up taste of the Mediterranean

Phoenicia Café offers a taste of the Mediterrean in Gilbert.

Phoenicia Café1150 S. Gilbert Rd. Suite 104Gilbert 85296(480) 503-GYRO (4976)www.phoeniciacafe.com

The Shrimp Ghallaba with tabbouleh and the beef kabob are spicy and satisfying.

The tender beef kabob is served with Greek salad and creamy hummus.

The Baklava is layered with pastry, nuts and honey.

The Phoenicia Philly Steak comes with Greek fries that are messy but delicious.

The sweets counter adds ambiance to the restaurant.