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Chino Valley Banker Helping to Build Community

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Julia Ruttle appreciates the outdoors and manageable growth.

Having worked in the banking business for 36 years, Julia Ruttle enjoys serving as branch manager for National Bank of Arizona in Chino Valley because of its commitment to the community.

Certificates in the lobby are from Toys for Tots because of the bank’s involvement there, but Ruttle makes sure the bank helps the community in many areas.

Ruttle recently joined the board of directors at the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce. She has also been involved with the YMCA, Horses with Heart, food banks, food for the homeless, trash pickups and back-to-school supplies for kids. During COVID-19 shutdowns, National Bank provided cleaning supplies for homebound senior citizens.

Ruttle left National Bank of Arizona some years back to work for a competitor, but decided to return because she says the other bank did not have the same commitment to the community. “I’m big into community banks because decisions can be made locally,” she said. “It sets us apart and we can be more involved locally.”

Ruttle is involved with the Women’s Network, which highlights women-owned businesses in the Quad Cities area. She plans to be more active with the Chino Valley and Prescott chambers of commerce. She praises Prescott Chamber President and CEO Sheri Heiney and Interim Chino Valley Chamber Director John Courtis for their work in the community.

As a board member of the Chino Valley Chamber, Ruttle wants to assure that the organization has a budget, that the budget is followed and that the chamber is doing good work. “I want to work in tandem with the community to help businesses and work with the town of Chino.”

Ruttle said the chamber should highlight all the great businesses that Chino Valley has to offer, including gift shops and restaurants. She said the town also needs to do a good job of giving people information who are considering locating here.

“I see the value of being a chamber member and I want others to see that,” she said. “I think we will accomplish a lot of great things. Nobody wants to see crazy growth, but we want manageable growth. We want to provide the knowledge to help visitors do that.”

Early on, Ruttle did not think she would go into banking but found that it has many different facets and enjoys working with both the customers and staff. “I am blessed to have a great team and I am close with them. I also like the diversity of the customers because everyone has a story to tell and I want to hear it.”

One of the most challenging parts of banking, she said, is working with customers who have been victims of fraud. She said the most important way to fight it is to not give out information to people you don’t know. She has seen banking fraud throughout her career and has seen it increase since the pandemic. “We need more resources for seniors. So many are by themselves,” she said.

When she’s not working, Ruttle enjoys spending time with grandchildren and being outdoors, hiking, fishing and hunting. QCBN

By Stan Bindell, QCBN

Bowen Chiropractic Celebrates Growth, Expansion

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The Wellness Center has grown with the community and has 12 workers, including the two chiropractors.

Bowen Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Chino Valley recently had a reopening ceremony, even though it never closed. The reopening was celebrating the expansion of the building to almost 5,000 square feet and adding chiropractor Dr. Chad Ellis to the team.

The large building is needed because the Wellness Center offers a wide array of services, including massages, acupuncture and physicals for scholastic sports and truck drivers, in addition to the chiropractic adjustments.

Dr. Robert Bowen, who has been providing chiropractic care in Chino Valley for more than 20 years, said the building was remodeled in 2020 just as COVID-19 hit and they didn’t have a chance to show it off. In addition, the Wellness Center has been so busy that they needed another chiropractor.

Bowen, who was in the first graduating class at Chino Valley High School in 1990, is proud that the Wellness Center is active in supporting local youth sports, as he has often been on the sidelines to help when injuries occur.

The Wellness Center has grown with the community and has 12 workers, including the two chiropractors. “Chino Valley still has the small-town feel, but it’s growing quickly,” he said.

Bowen has been at this location for 10 years. He is certified for high school sports, and at one point served as the Chino Valley High School team doctor. He served on the school board for four years. Recently, he reached out to the school’s new athletic director, as they are planning to work together.

Bowen has many loyal patients, including some who have been seeing him for 23 years. He also treats tourists and a lot of injuries from car accidents.

A large Medicare population comes to Bowen mostly for either old injuries acting up or wear and tear on their bodies. Medicare covers some chiropractic adjustments.

He says chiropractic treatment keeps the nervous system functioning. “The Wellness Center includes nutrition, weight loss, exercise and rehabilitation. We look at the whole person. Not just the spine.”

Sometimes herbal supplements are recommended. “It depends on the patient needs,” he said.

Bowen, who played high school football, said he was following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps because they were both chiropractors.

Dr. Ellis, who was a chiropractor for more than 20 years in Phoenix, said he was glad to become part of the Wellness Center.

“The community has been very friendly and welcoming,” he said. QCBN

By Stan Bindell, QCBN

Photo by Stan Bindell: Dr Robert Bowen hosted a celebration to welcome new chiropractor Dr. Chad Ellis to the practice and to mark the large expansion of the building at 794 AZ-89 in Chino Valley. 

Honoring History at Wild Sage Antiques & Boutique

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Wild Sage offers a coffee bar with local baked goods that entice people to come in to visit and hang out at the sitting area. The coffee is complimentary.

Wild Sage Antiques and Boutique offers a wide variety of merchandise, but also serves as a place where people can gather to chat.

Owner Lisa Kushner had a similar business in Marietta, California, but when her husband died, she moved to Williamson Valley to be closer to her children. She opened Wild Sage Antiques and Boutique in Chino Valley, where she could create a connection to people. Her daughter, Bobbi Hagerty, is the co-owner.

With 14 vendors and local artisans, Wild Sage offers a wide array of collectibles, clothing, purses, jewelry and vintage furniture. “We have a little bit of everything for everybody. We have things for kids to seniors,” she said, noting that the hottest item lately is outdoor art, as the warm weather has people outside and planting their gardens.

Kushner has owned Wild Sage for 18 months, but she had been renting a small building by Scooters Coffee. “I wanted to own my building and I love that house, so I bought it, refurbished it and had the building entirely redone,” she said. “A lot of people come in just to see the inside of the building. Everybody seems to love it!”

That old house is a historical building that was the third building constructed in Chino Valley. The Chino Valley Historical Society brought Kushner information about the building’s background and also gave her books about the local history. She now sells those books.

The building, which was constructed in 1917, is two stories high and includes a basement, seven rooms and three bathrooms. “I used to drive by it and thought, ‘It can be so beautiful if somebody put some money into it.’”

Wild Sage offers a coffee bar with local baked goods that entice people to come in to visit and hang out at the sitting area. The coffee is complimentary. “I wanted to keep it small, but also make it fun.”

Kushner emphasizes customer service, calling it their No. 1 priority. “It’s about being open, honest and talking with people.” QCBN

By Stan Bindell, QCBN

Wild Sage is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday.

Photo by Stan Bindell: Lisa Kushner showcases a unique assortment of home furnishings, clothing, jewelry and vintage furniture at Wild Sage Antiques & Boutique in Chino Valley.

Planning for Transportation Needs into the Future

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State (ADOT), and the feds use gas taxes as a principal funding source for transportation needs.

Welcome to “At Home With Tom and Sandy.” This month, Tom and I thought we would take a “road trip” as we veer away from our normal column. Settle in. This is going to be wonderful!

Sandy: Hi Tom! Happy April! For our detour topic this month, I have invited Mr. Vincent, or, as we all know him to be, Vinny Gallegos, to talk with us this month. Vinny is the executive director of the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization, (CYMPO).

Tom: Excellent, welcome Vinny!

Vinny: Greetings to both of you. Thanks for inviting me.

Sandy: There is a lot to talk about, so diving right in, Vinny, when did CYMPO get started and who is a part of it?

Vinny: Formally, 2003. Based on the 2000 Census, the Feds declared this area a metropolitan area. As such, all the political entities in the area, including Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley and this part of Yavapai County, came together to form CYMPO as a mechanism to plan for the growing transportation needs of our area.

Tom: How big of an area are you talking about?

Vinny: The planning area covers approximately 400 square miles, and currently includes Dewey-Humboldt, which was not a separate political entity back then.

Sandy: All the cities, towns and county are represented on the CYMPO boards and committees. That is very important for our readers to know. I bet that has to be kind of like herding cats!

Vinny: LOL, actually since the beginning, all the entities have come together quite well. The purpose is to plan for regional, multimodal transportation. Our system of highways, trails and bike paths touches every community. And it is with that understanding, all the representatives lean toward cooperation to plan for and collectively seek funding from state and federal resources.

Tom: Back in 2000, I recall this organization getting started. I have watched CYMPO become a very successful and effective organization responsible for many of our major road improvements over the past 20 plus years. What are some of the projects and challenges on your plate currently?

Vinny: The main challenge we always face is getting the resources we need to implement the organization’s plans. Revenue sources have not changed much in the last 30 or so years. State (ADOT), and the feds use gas taxes as a principal funding source for transportation needs. As for projects, currently, there are three primary areas we are focusing on. First, creating an active transportation plan for bike and pedestrian infrastructure. This includes bike lanes, sidewalks and trails.

Sandy: That sounds super fantastic. Biking and walking are a huge part of the communities in our area. I love hearing that CYMPO is on board.

Vinny: It is all part of the integrated transportation system in our area.

Vinny:  Another project is the State Route 69 Master Corridor Plan. This addresses both safety and capacity issues along this corridor from Prescott through Dewey-Humboldt. The third major focus is the Sundog Design Concept report and Environmental Overview.

Sandy: This isn’t the first time that a potential route has been discussed. I have been hearing about it for many years.

Tom: It actually started way back in the early ‘90s with the Prescott Strategic plan where we said we did not want L.A.-style superhighways in our area. While on the Prescott City Council at that time, we approved a preliminary plat for Yavapai Hills unit 9 that included a piece of the Sundog Connector in the plat. That was for 1,814 units, a mix of multifamily and single-family living.

Vinny: All your fault, Tom.

Sandy: LOL. I have got something else to blame him for now!

Tom: Yeah yeah, well, it did happen then, but it of course wasn’t all me. The city included a commitment to a portion of the connector as part of the development agreement if I remember correctly.

Vinny: I understand that as well. The General Plan update in 1997-98 precipitated by the Growing Smarter legislation, set the stage for Prescott to develop the Prescott East Area plan. That referenced the need for what was then called the 69 to 89 connector. That is now Prescott Lakes Parkway. It also referenced the Sundog connector.

Tom: That plan was developed including participation by council representatives, Planning and Zoning, and a healthy component of citizens mostly from Yavapai Hills and the Ranch. It was quite inclusive. If I remember correctly, that plan reiterated the desire to have smaller roads rather than making 69 a superhighway.

Sandy: Prescott Valley actually constructed the east end of the route in 2000.

Vinny: In 2007, the City of Prescott approved the preliminary plat for the Storm Ranch subdivision. That was for 227 single family lots. That plat also includes a segment of the Sundog connector.

Sandy: The City of Prescott built the roundabout on Prescott Lakes Parkway as the west end of the connector in 2010.

Tom: Didn’t Prescott do its own Sundog Corridor Study?

Vinny: Yes, that was done in 2013.

Sandy: Having all these plans in place is great. Vinny, tell us a little about how these plans get implemented and the time it takes to realize them.

Vinny: Our job is to take the direction given to us by elected officials over the years. We use that direction to generate the plans for our transportation systems. Many plans, like the ones mentioned, can take decades to see their implementation.

Sandy: Can you give us an example?

Vinny: Sure. There has been a plan to add a single lane in both directions on Highway 69 from Lowes to the mall, about a mile of road. Planning, engineering and funding for that project has taken 10 years.

Tom: There is no instant gratification in the planning business, is there?

Sandy: I suppose not. Sheesh!

Tom: The Sundog connector has just recently been the target of a few area residents who don’t want this road. I for one, think it somewhat weird that our leaders are often targeted with admonitions of uncontrolled growth. That insinuates a lack of planning. Here we have an example of a plan that has been vetted through the last 25 years and even that gets attacked.

Sandy: In making these plans, our elected officials take so many different issues into account. With another 2,000-plus households coming on line in the future, public safety plays a large part. Response times are critical and our road designs play a large part in how quickly our first responders get to your house or business.

Vinny: Leadership sets plans in motion, plans for the future. CYMPO was given the charge by elected officials to take the steps necessary to implement them. That is what the Sundog Design Concept Report is all about.

Sandy: Vinny, I applaud CYMPO in educating the community and citizens. You have a terrific website,

https://www.cympo.org/sundog-connector/ which has so much information on the Sundog Connector – so readers, take a look at the website, this is a great way to stay informed.

Tom:    I recall Town of Prescott Valley Mayor Palguta talking about the importance of the Sundog Connector as the connector will drastically reduce police and fire response times to the residents on the back side of Yavapai Hills.

Vinny:  Another positive to the many positives for the connector is with the anticipated purchase of Glassford Hill by Prescott Valley, Prescott and Yavapai County. This would prevent any future residential development by any developers along the Sundog route.

Sandy: And let’s not forget the Sundog Connector has been voted on by both Prescott and Prescott Valley’s General Plan for more than 20 years.

In closing – we three give a thumbs-up to the Sundog Connector.

Thanks for stopping in and reading “At Home with Tom and Sandy.”  You’re in good company and we love sharing educational, fun and important information with you. QCBN

Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association, 928-778-0040.

Vinny Gallegos, CYMPO, 928-442-5730.

Tom Reilly, Architect, Renovations, 928-445-8506 renovationsaz.com

Remember to tune in to YCCA’s Hammer Time every Saturday and Sunday morning 7 a.m. on KQNA 1130 AM/99.9 FM/95.5FM or the web kqna.com. Listen to Sandy and Mike talk about the construction industry and meet your local community partners. Hammer Time is a great way to start your weekend.

Understanding Your Customers Through Data

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Customer tracking data is extremely valuable, he says.

Knowing where Quad Cities customers are traveling from helps business owners know where to send marketing messages about their products and services. Regional Economic Development Center economist and data analyst Ryan Jones says knowledge about demographics are key to making effective business decisions. He shared information about tools that can help inform businesses with the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce last month.

Customer tracking data is extremely valuable, he says. Whenever cell phone customers download apps, companies download data about the customers and sell it to other companies.

Buxton and Placer.ai are two companies that capture such information. With information from cell phone apps, these companies can acquire customers’ marital status, income and education level.

For example, the data show that 73% of visitors to the Founding Fathers Collective in Prescott live within 25 miles of the entity, but they also come from Phoenix and Bagdad, Arizona.

“They know where you live so they can tell how much you make and have customer profiles,” said Jones. “They can tell how likely someone is to visit Founding Fathers.”

Jones points out that grocery stores like to serve a population of about 14,000 people. While Chino Valley’s population is slightly below that, the Safeway there remains one of the busiest in the country. Thus, data helps companies determine their market reach based on elements beyond simply the number of people who live in the area.

He said the data reveals that 27% of the workforce in Chino Valley and 30% in Prescott and elsewhere in Yavapai County commute to Maricopa County for jobs. Also, the Prescott area is one of the most expensive in the state for cost of living.

One of the reasons for residents working in Maricopa County is the difference in salaries. The median salary 2020, while the national wage average for job postings in the U.S. has gone up 17% during that time. in Chino Valley is $38,200, and Prescott is $38,600, while the median salary in Phoenix is $42,600, compared to $43,400 for the country.

Meanwhile, wages advertised for job postings for Chino Valley and Prescott have increased 33% since 2020, while the national wage average for job postings in the U.S. has gone up 17% during that time.

Jones says Chino Valley has more jobs than expected with workers in government, retail and construction. He said the government jobs are considered secure while construction jobs are risky. Sixty percent of the workers in Yavapai County are employed by small businesses.

Using 2020 census figures, Jones reports that Chino Valley’s population has grown by 21% since 2010, while the state has grown 14% during that time.

Fifty-five percent of the residents are 18 to 64 years old, while 29% are 64 or older.

He also reported a trend that many Chino Valley residents are moving to Wyoming, noting that Chino Valley and Wyoming both have cowboy cultures and an appreciation for freedom.

Jones moved here from Minnesota 18 months ago. His degree from the University of Wisconsin is in financial investments and banking. He also studied business and economics in China. QCBN

By Stan Bindell, QCBN

Photo by Stan Bindell: Regional Economic Development Center data analyst Ryan Jones shared the importance of customer demographics with Chino Valley businesses. 

Rubs, Recipes Up In Smoke

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Lines form at new Chino Valley BBQ restaurant.

Andi and Jason Oubin have taken on the challenge of making great BBQ even better.

In May, the couple took over Eric Vernier’s longtime Big Daddy E’s Smokin’ BBQ in Chino Valley, and they have renamed it Up In Smoke BBQ.

The BBQ remains popular, as people stand in line, which sometime wraps around the small building, as they await this beloved food.

Andi said for the most part, Up In Smoke has kept the same recipes as Vernier’s because that’s what people like. However, she emphasizes that they want to walk their own path, so they use their own twist with the recipes.

Andi said they use Eric’s rub recipe, which is a salt savory rub, but they also use their own sweet rub. She said customers can order either and sometimes they order both for various plates.

Andi and Jason had their own restaurants in Ft. Mohave and Bullhead City.

“The most important thing is everything is homemade. The BBQ goes through the smoking process and we make the sides fresh every day,” she said.

Big Daddy E’s was also known for its catering, and Up In Smoke continues with that. Like Big Daddy, Up In Smoke is not open on weekends, so caterers need to pick up the food before closing on Friday and Up In Smoke will provide instructions for how to heat it up. In some case, Up In Smoke will deliver the food.

“We’re taking on all orders that come our way,” said Andi.

For the July 4th weekend, Up In Smoke provided 750 meals for the Williamson Valley Fire Department, which was providing meals for people who work in a mine.

Andi and her husband have 25 years of experience in the restaurant business. They started with a small restaurant called The Shack in Bullhead City for two years before having a catering truck.

“My husband and brother have done BBQ competitions, so they have fun with it,” she said. “My husband is self-taught with BBQ. We want to find out what everybody likes.”

Andi said Jason also worked with multiple chefs over the years. And Jason trained with Vernier for a month before taking over the business.

“We listened to what he had to say. He was here for years and he knew what people liked, so we adopted those practices,” Andi said. “But we’ve been 100% accepted by the community. We just can’t do everything as he did it. We have to be our own.”

However, Andi said they don’t want to shock anybody by changing everything dramatically either.

“Our BBQ is popular because it’s all smoked. You can smell it before you eat it,” she said.

Andi emphasizes that it is a family restaurant. Many of the staff members have stayed on. Regulars likely know the servers by name. “We just all mesh together so well,” she said about the six employees and customers.

The most popular dish is the brisket and the tri-tip beef.

Andi said Jason does all the smoking of the BBQ to make sure the flavor is consistent. “He can work that grill like no other.” QCBN

By Stan Bindell, QCBN

Protecting Our Groundwater and Rivers

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We encourage you to vote for those candidates who understand water issues and promise to work for solutions that help our area.

Our state legislators continue to fail to protect our water in our aquifers and rivers.

In the Prescott Active Management Area, which includes Dewey-Humbolt, Prescott Valley, Prescott, and Chino Valley, groundwater pumping exceeds natural and artificial replenishment  by over 18,000 acre-feet per year (afy) — that is a football field three=-and-a-half miles deep, disappearing from the aquifer every year, depleting our groundwater reserves.

The overdraft relentlessly continues to grow, decimating Del Rio Springs, and drying wells in Williamson Valley, Chino Valley and Coyote Springs. In the last 70 years, the flow from Del Rio Springs, the historical headwaters of the Verde River, has declined 90%. A partial, preliminary survey has identified more than 500 failing wells south and west of Chino Valley, along Williamson Valley Road, and in Coyote Springs. Occasionally, a failing well can be replaced by drilling a new well at great cost, but this is a long-shot gamble, so most afflicted homeowners install a holding tank and have water hauled to them. Their home value is reduced up to 50%.

The latest guidance from the Arizona Department of Water Resources not only fails to address the overdraft, but has already approved more than 10,000 new homes for new water service. And existing state law authorizes water for an additional 100,000 homes! Every new home consumes groundwater and worsens the problem.

Pumping in the Big Chino threatens Paulden domestic wells and the upper Verde River. The river begins perennial flow near Paulden where groundwater from the Big Chino emerges at Verde Springs, the only water source for the upper 25 river miles, which contains the finest riparian habitat in AZ. River flows have been steadily declining since 1996. In late June, we measured all-time record low flows at Perkinsville Bridge. We are witnessing the slow decline of the last surviving perennial river in Arizona.

Arizona water law authorizes groundwater pumping for the Big Chino Water Ranch pipeline, a project intended to support new homes, to dry up the river. It is totally legal for big agriculture to move into the Big Chino, irrigate without limit, and dry up the river. Additional residential growth in the Big Chino also can dry the river.

Meanwhile, our local representatives to the state legislature ignore our local problems – fiddling while our water disappears – and fail to provide solutions. In the last session, legislators from other rural areas introduced several helpful bills addressing rural water needs. Unfortunately, one state representative beholden to agricultural interests prevented any of these bills from being considered on the floor of the legislature. We need forceful action from our state legislators, and that has not happened.

It is true that the legislature recently enacted new state water legislation, spurred by the Colorado River water supply crisis. We do not receive any water – zero – from the Colorado River. The new law ignores the water problems in Northern Arizona. Instead, it authorizes expensive and unrealistic augmentation projects such as multi-billion dollar desalinization plants or importing water from the Missouri River. Prior Arizona water law continues to support drying the Verde River and draining our aquifers in the name of promoting growth.

If we want to have a sustainable water supply and a flowing river, local citizens and government need to step up with solutions. Solutions do exist. For example, a regional water conservation incentive program could reduce water use by rural wells and private water systems and improve existing weak conservation programs in Prescott Valley and Chino Valley. Also, a regional stormwater recovery and recharge program will reduce the overdraft.

First, we need regional cooperation to protect a shared water resource. There has been no regional water planning since the Yavapai County Supervisors discontinued the Water Advisory Committee in 2014. Local governments must begin to meet regularly and plan solutions to protect our groundwater and the Verde River.

Most importantly, it is essential for citizens to learn where candidates for the state house and senate stand on the critical issues facing our regional water supply and the Verde River. We encourage you to vote for those candidates who understand water issues and promise to work for solutions that help our area. QCBN

By Gary Beverly, Ph.D.

Gary Beverly is a retired scientist and business owner working to protect the Verde River.

Manufactured Homes Sell in Chino Valley Before They Hit the Market

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Homebuyers fill waiting list for homes coming to Paulden.

Southwest Homes recently sold five manufactured homes in Chino Valley and plans to sell 24 more in Paulden.

The homes sold out six days before they were to be placed on the market, and more than 200 people showed interest in seeing the models even after the homes were sold.

Southwest Homes owner Jon Rocha takes pride in the manufactured homes, saying that manufactured homes are built much better than they used to be.

The one-acre, three-bedroom, two-bathroom homes in Chino Valley sold in the $350,000 to $400,000 range. Rocha calls the five homes a micro-community and emphasized that they are more affordable than new stick-built homes that are commonly selling for at least $200,000 more.

“We are the most affordable option,” he said. “We have always been the most affordable, but now we’re more comparable to site-built homes in value and benefits.”

Rocha said these manufactured homes give working class people a chance to reach the American dream. He said four of the five homes were sold to young couples and one was sold to a retiree from out of state. With rents averaging $1,600 to $1,800 per month, people will pay about that or less for the mortgages for these manufactured homes, he said. “It’s the only housing that’s not being gobbled up by people from out of state.”

He says today’s higher quality of manufactured homes takes away the stigma of having a manufactured home, as they now have stem walls and meet much higher standards than in the past.

“The quality is there that wasn’t there a decade ago,” he said. “They have insulation comparable to site-built homes. They have traditional site-built features. A lot of the appliances used to not be up to standards, but now they are. The water heaters weren’t standard, but now they are.”

The new manufactured homes also have vinyl flooring. “The flooring is intact for the long haul,” he said.

The Chino Valley homes are 1,500 to 1,800 square feet and will have their own septic and private wells. The properties can have horses and other domestic animals.

The planned manufactured homes in Paulden, which are not available yet, will be on two-acre lots.

Rocha hopes to bring more manufactured homes to Chino Valley in the future, but added that may depend on what needs to be rezoned. “It’s a challenge. Either there’s no land or it’s way too expensive.”

Rocha already has a waiting list for the planned homes in Paulden and possible future homes in Chino Valley.

The interest in manufactured homes underscores the immense shortage of housing inventory in the Quad Cities area, he said. “People are outbidding others and going above the asking price to get in there.” QCBN

By Stan Bindell, QCBN

Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center Providing Opportunities

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“We can have as many as 76 youngsters at the center,” said FEC Director Jennine Skousen.

If not for the Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center (FEC) at Yavapai College’s Prescott campus in Prescott, two local women said it would be impossible for them to hold jobs, attend college and have their children in an early childhood education program.

Sarah Martin of Chino Valley and Karely Rodriguez-Mata of Prescott are among dozens of parents who benefit from the FEC program as they balance work, college and parenthood. The program, now in its 15th year, provides a full week of early education and professional childcare, from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Martin said her 17-month-old daughter, Isabelle, is among the youngsters at FEC, as is Rodriguez-Mata’s daughter, Orianna, who is three years old. Both women had scholarships, too, which helped them financially.

“We can have as many as 76 youngsters at the center,” said FEC Director Jennine Skousen. “We have 23 students we use as support staff, and 13 full-time faculty and staff members. We have children ranging from three months old up to 5 years in this preschool educational program.”

Raising Funds for Family Enrichment Center
A large crowd attended a fundraising event last month in the YC Performing Arts Center to support the FEC. “No other institution I know of has a similar comprehensive program that benefits so many children, parents and students,” said Yavapai College Governing Board Chair Debbie McCasland. “Also, the program was recently given a 5-Star rating and awarded accreditation by the National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education programs.”

Friends of the FEC President Janelle Goligoski urged attendees to support the FEC through contributions or other assistance. “Your help can provide support for the lab school, for students enrolled in the early education degree program. You can help provide tuition assistance and scholarships for qualified families. Most important, you can help us continue an atmosphere that underscores our community belief that children are the future.” QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

For more information, visit yc.edu.

Gentle Giants Transforming Lives in Chino Valley

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Horses with Heart enhances abilities, confidence, joy.

The girl with the pink leggings and brown cowboy boots pats the tri-colored pony on the neck, sits up straight in the saddle, and with reins confidently in hand, commands “Walk on.” As Majesty responds with a gentle stride, Lizzie smiles.

And for Dani Mackin of Prescott, this is what a miracle looks like. Dani is Lizzie’s mom. She describes her 9-year-old’s serious social anxiety as paralyzing. “She wouldn’t talk to people. She would do what we call ‘a possum,’ and just freeze, or run away crying when someone came near her. She wouldn’t talk to her grandfather. She never even petted our dog really. We had trouble finding babysitters.”

That was life when Lizzie was 6. And then, magic happened. Lizzie’s parents nervously put her on the back of a horse at a Happy Hearts rodeo sponsored by Horses with Heart. “We thought she’d freak out,” said Dani.

But, she didn’t. In fact, she loved it. The girl who rarely smiled, started smiling. “The next week she actually started to talk to my dad all of a sudden. It was unbelievable. We didn’t know what just happened but we knew we had to keep it going.”

Jan Grise believes in miracles. The program director and riding instructor says she sees them every day in the Horses with Heart arena in Chino Valley. “Horses connect with people. This is not therapy. But what we do is therapeutic. Individuals come out here and make wonderful strides emotionally, physically, cognitively.”

This summer marks the 29th anniversary for the organization that works with more than 150 riders each season (other than in 2020 during the pandemic), from May to October, ranging in age from 4 to 87. Grise, a lifetime equestrian, has been involved with Horses with Heart for 14 years.

“We serve people with special needs,” she said. “Our tagline is, ‘Horses with Heart is where difficulties become possibilities.’”

In the arena, five certified instructors plus volunteer support teams work with individuals with conditions such as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, autism and Down Syndrome, as well as people with learning disabilities, veterans with PTSD and those recovering from a stroke.

Grise explains that the gait of a horse mimics a human’s walking pattern and can help riders regain the use of an arm or leg. “We have a rider with cerebral palsy who doesn’t walk well. She’ll  get on that horse and make it walk. When she does this, she’s reprogramming her muscles and her brain.”

Riders also connect with the horses by getting in sync with their breathing patterns, she explained. “They are such big animals, but they are gentle giants. Most of the riders will want to pet them or spend some time grooming them, touching them and looking at them eye to eye and breathing with them.”

Grise says the program serves several foster children who have had disruptive lives, trauma and a lot of emotional upheaval. She describes an 11-year-old rider who had so much trauma in her life she stopped speaking. “We started her in lessons. About two weeks in, she started whispering to her horse – we teach riders to talk their horses with ‘Walk on,’ ‘Whoa’ and ‘Trot.’ It was very much a whisper. By the end of the first six weeks, she started talking to her coach, talking to her horse and by the end of her second six-week session, she was talking to everybody.”

There’s also the story of a boy who started with the program at age 11. In his early 20s, he cantered his way onto the world stage in the 2015 Special Olympics and walked off a champion. “Out of 10 spots from the U.S., Jeremiah got one and went to Los Angeles for the World Games. He won gold and bronze medals. He is married now and doing marvelously well. When he started with us, he was pretty uncommunicative, very shy and withdrawn. Now, he is a very, very neat young man.”

Some of the horses are leased from locals, other are donated from people who have retired from the horse world. One is a miniature horse, who serves as a Horses with Heart ambassador for visits to schools and nursing homes.

“The horses are marvelous healing things that help our participants overcome their difficulties,” said Grise. “You come out here and see a participant one week and the next week, what a change! Some riders are born with severe developmental difficulties. Through the program, you can see them function at such a higher level. It’s just amazing. I’m in love with what I do.”

The non-profit organization charges $50 per session and operates on donations. The Horses with Heart program at Chino Valley is the only accredited one of its kind in Northern Arizona. For more information, visit horseswithheartaz.org. QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN