Marana hosts blood drive April 14
Marana is hosting an American Red Cross blood drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 14 at the Marana Municipal Complex, 11555 W. Civic Center Drive.
Donating takes 45 to 60 minutes, and you need not know your blood type in order to give.
The Red Cross needs about 300 blood donors each day in Arizona, according to a Marana press release.
Contact Rodney Campbell at rcampbell@marana.com or 382-1936 to register.
Farm stand offers container garden kits
Former minister and pool salesman John Keller has begun selling container gardens and local tomatoes at the Marana Farm Stand, which is open from 3 to 6 p.m. Mondays at the Marana Heritage Farm, 12375 N. Heritage Park Drive in Marana.
People are also reading…
Keller has been an Arizona resident for nearly 25 years. He retired from designing outdoor living areas and is pursuing his passion for teaching people about container gardening. He offers the Earthbox, an easy-to-use container garden that regulates water levels and allows novice and advanced growers to improve their harvest.
It enables people to grow tomatoes year-round in Arizona, he said in a press release.
As part of the continuing efforts to benefit and educate residents of Marana and surrounding communities, the staff at the Marana Farm Stand is actively welcoming new vendors for the Monday afternoon farmers market. Those interested in becoming a vendor at the Marana Farm Stand should contact Maggie Whiteside at 468-1416.
Ritz offers free dining program
The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain has a new frequent-dining program that offers savings, amenities and special benefits at all the resort's restaurants. There is no cost to join the program, which provides privileged year-round access to Arizona residents not actually staying at the hotel.
The Loyalty Diners Program will provide 10 percent savings on all member dining, excluding tax, gratuity and alcoholic beverages. Complete benefits include complimentary valet parking, a member appreciation reception and special events, previews and benefits throughout the year.
Members may enjoy their complimentary benefits at Core Kitchen and Wine Bar, Cayton's Restaurant, Ignite and Turquesa Latin Grill.
Go to rcdmloyalty.com for more information or to apply for a membership card, or pick up an application at the resort concierge desk.
Marana airport hosts memorial service
The Marana Nighthawk 72 Detachment No. 1344 Marine Corps League will hold a memorial service at 10 a.m. April 9 to honor the 19 U.S. Marines who were tragically killed in an accident at the airport on April 8, 2000.
The ceremony at the airport, 11700 W. Avra Valley Road, will include posting of colors by the Marine Corps, wreath-laying by various organizations, a guest speech by a colonel, a rifle salute, taps, bag piper and vocalist Marine Amanda Paquette.
The event is free and open to the public.
New rodeo to begin at Marana arena
In the next month, the Marana Western Heritage Committee will start a series of family-friendly events at its arena.
The Marana Championship Rodeo will debut at 7 p.m. April 15 at the Western Heritage Arena, located on the Interstate 10 frontage road between West Barnett and West Grier roads.
The two-hour event will be $5 for adults and free for children younger than 12.
The committee plans to hold the event the third Friday of every month.
Call Dan Post at 248-1736 for more information about the event or sponsorships.
OV cheer, football coaches are needed
The Oro Valley Dolphins is recruiting multiple head coaches for its cheer squads and flag football teams.
Prior coaching experience and residency in Oro Valley is preferred, but not required. Go to www.orovalleydolphinsyouthfootballcheer.org for more information and to complete an application.
SaddleBrooke golf tourney is Saturday
Billing it as "the best little charity golf tournament in the area," SaddleBrooke Ranch will host a golf tournament Saturday at its golf course on Highway 77, milepost 93.5, just north of Oracle Junction.
The event is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.
Registration is at 7 a.m. with tee-off at 8 a.m. The $65 fee includes a cart and lunch, with prizes for first and second place, closest to the pin, longest drive, longest putt, most accurate drive and a $10,000 hole-in-one contest sponsored by insurance agent Ralph Pisano.
Interested golfers can call 1-520-385-4590, 1-520-610-1151 or 1-520-385-4663.
Ranch to host clay-oven workshop
A hands-on workshop, "How to Make a Backyard Clay Oven," is scheduled for 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at the Triangle L Ranch, 2805 N. Triangle L Ranch Road in Oracle.
Sharon Holnback will teach the techniques she learned at an intensive class in Oregon with Kiko Denzer, whose book, "Build Your Own Earth Oven," is now in its third printing.
Participants will work under a ranch ramada, laying fire bricks for the oven's floor, then mixing the "mud" - wet sand and clay from a nearby wash - with their bare feet. The group will build a full-sized, dome-shaped oven measuring about four feet deep with four- to five-inch-thick walls.
Holnback will provide information on burning wood in the oven, removing the embers and placing various foods inside to bake or cook in the retained heat that's released from the dense clay walls. Participants will leave with practical know-how to build their own backyard clay ovens and use them for baking breads in the artisan style, baking pizza, cooking meats and drying foods.
The workshop is limited to 12 people; a $10 materials fee will be charged. Reservations must be made in advance at 1-520-896-2123.
'Tip-a-Cop' returns to Marana Tuesday
Members of the Marana Police Department are participating again this year in Tip-a-Cop from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday at Texas Roadhouse, 8450 N. Cracker Barrel Road.
Tip-a-Cop unites men and women from law enforcement to help wait staff and collect tips from patrons to support Special Olympics. The agencies also have vehicles on display in the parking lot and officers available to speak with members of the community.
OV councilman to speak at Town Hall
Oro Valley Councilman Barry Gillaspie will speak at Sun City Vistoso's "Our Town (Oro Valley) Town Hall Meeting" from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Sun City Vistoso Social Hall, 1495 E. Rancho Vistoso Blvd.
The town hall meeting is free and open to the public.
Group raises $5K to fight abuse
The Sun City Vistoso Women's Auxiliary raised more than $5,000 for the Emerge! Center Against Domestic Abuse at a fundraising luncheon.
The luncheon, raffle and fashion show was held March 18 at Sun City Vistoso.
More than 250 attended the luncheon to benefit Emerge!, which is Southern Arizona's largest domestic crisis center.
Town Council to dine at OV restaurants
The town of Oro Valley has launched a new campaign to learn more about Oro Valley restaurants.
Each month, the Town Council will select one restaurant at random and dine there as a way to meet with the restaurant's owners and employees.
The "Dine Oro Valley" campaign, which is a spin-off of the "Shop Oro Valley" campaign, kicked off Wednesday at El Charro Café, 7725 N. Oracle Road.
"The Dine Oro Valley campaign is an opportunity to learn more about the restaurants that provide a service to our residents and visitors and how the council can continue to support this industry," Mayor Satish Hiremath said in a press release.
Suffolk Hills hosts nature event in April
The Suffolk Hills Property Owners Association and Immaculate Heart School will open up their neighborhood to the public April 9 and 10 for a free nature event.
"Nature in Our Neighborhood" will feature 20-minute seminars, slide shows and nature walks presented by speakers and professionals from the University of Arizona and the community.
Seminars are 10 a.m.-noon April 9 and nature walks are 10 a.m.-noon April 10.
Activities planned for both days take place at Immaculate Heart High School, 625 E. Magee Road.
The Suffolk Hills neighborhood, which is at the southern end of Oro Valley, is home to 50 acres of open space that features trails and wildlife.
Topics to be discussed at the event include "Living with Venomous Reptiles," "Geology and Vegetation," "Reconciliation Ecology," "Birds in Our Neighborhood" and "Wildcats in Urban Tucson."
Go to www.neighborhoodlink.com/Suffolk_Hills for more details.
Meeting is April 7 for OV business club
The Oro Valley Business Club's monthly meeting is April 7 at the Mountain Vista Recreation Center, 1495 E. Rancho Vistoso Blvd., in Sun City Vistoso.
The cost for lunch is $17 for members and $20 for non-members. Only cash or check are accepted.
Meetings are held the first Thursday of each month and feature updates by town officials and other representatives, and a featured speaker or program.
Meetings start at 11 a.m.
Reservations are not required. E-mail gloriabwhite@aol.com for additional details.
Catalina Elks to sell goods Saturday
Catalina Mountain Elks Lodge No. 2815 will hold a rummage and bake sale Saturday in Catalina.
The sale is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 16045 N. Oracle Road.
Hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks will be sold at the event, and proceeds will go to local charities.
Nannies & Tutors business opens in OV
College Nannies & Tutors will hold a grand opening celebration April 6 at its new Oro Valley location in the Oracle Crossings shopping center, 7619 N. Oracle Road, Ste. 113.
Wednesday's event is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will feature food, music and door prizes.
College Nannies & Tutors provides one-on-one tutoring services and full-service childcare.
Go to collegenannies.com/northtucsonaz or collegetutors.com/northtucsonaz or call 262-0177 for more information.
Continued from Page 21
Continued on Page 23
Continued from Page 19
Continued on Page 21
E-mail Community Notes to tkjos@azstarnet.com Compiled by Shelley Shelton and Andrea Rivera
