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Glendale
Civic Pride Ambassadors
present
Three Luke Air Force Base Families with $10,000
Article
and photos By Bette and ed Sharpe - Glendale
Daily Planet
Saturday,
September 18, the Glendale Civic Pride Ambassadors (GCPA)
awarded checks to two Luke Air Force Base families.
A third family was slated to receive monies ($2,500)
but their son Jakobe developed a respiratory infection and
could not attend. This
family will receive their check at another GCPA meeting.
Most of the GCPA funds raised through volunteer activities are used to
provide assistance to organizations that have a special event
or program that will attract people to Glendale or will
enhance the lives of Glendale citizens.
The Glendale Civic Pride Ambassadors is
an
organization of citizens with a deep sense of pride that is
dedicated to enhancing the economic, social, and cultural
vitality of Glendale.
Monies
distributed Saturday by Glendale Civic Pride Ambassadors
Foundation were donated from the closing of Quality of Life
Community Services, formerly the Glendale Community Council.
This organization served the community for 34 years. "We
were a very small agency and we were going things that other
agencies weren't doing", Paige Garrett, former
Executive Director stated. "With the economic decline,
our work was very proactive", said Garrett. The
agency board challenged itself by asking, if their viability
in the community equaled what it cost to run the agency.
"In the last 3 or 4 years ASU, United Way and some other
nonprofits have basically taken over a lot of the things we
used to do for the whole west side", continued Paige
Garrett.
The
board members decided it was time to close and allow
other agencies to provide community services. In order
to close, by law, all existing Quality of Life Community
Services assets (funds) must be given away to another
non-profit organization.
The
Schreiber
family - (L to R) Christy,
Frank, Kevin, Kierra and Gavin holding the flag!
-Photo by Ed Sharpe, Glendale Daily Planet.
The
first recipient of funds was Kierra Schreiber,
daughter of Staff Sergeant Frank and Christy
Schreiber.
Staff
Sergeant Frank Schreiber is a member of the 56th MOS (Maintenance
Operations Squadron) at Luke AFB.
Kierra
suffered a series of illnesses when she was a newborn, which
left her severely handicapped.
She attends weekly therapy sessions but still can't sit
on her own or hold her heard up.
Kierra is legally blind
although doctors think she can see a fuzzy black and
white image. Kierra
weighs about 37 pounds and a new van and a wheelchair lift is
a must for this little girl and her family.
The Glendale Civic Pride Ambassadors awarded Christy
Schreiber a check for $5,000 to help the family purchase a new
van. The family is short about $5,700 towards the purchase of
a chair left. You
can visit Kierra's web page for more information and her
biography by following this link http://www.kierrascourage.com/Mission.html
Frank
Schreiber
- Kierra's
father,
Paige Garrett, Executive Director Quality of Life Community
Services and Glendale Civic Pride Board Member Mickey
Lund. - Photo by Ed Sharpe, Glendale Daily Planet.
TSGT
Marilyn Wilbur from Luke AFB - Photo
by Ed Sharpe, Glendale Daily Planet.
TSGT Marilyn Wilbur, A vehicle
operator for the 56 LRS (Logistics Readiness Squadron),
whose son Trevor is autistic, received a check for $2,500.00.
TSGT Wilbur is a vehicle operator for the 56 LRS (Logistics
Readiness Squadron) at Luke AFB.
She and her husband were both scheduled to be
deployed; Marilyn's
deployment was supposed to be for nine months.
This left a big question as to who would care for her
young son Trevor.
Fortunately, Marilyn was not deployed; she is
still on active duty,
Marilyn is the initiator of
L.E.K. (Luke's Exceptional Kids) which was a participating
organization in the ESMP (Exceptional Family Member
Program) fair today at Luke AFB for special needs children and
their families. The
fair will have medical and legal organizations and other
services that offer parents a few hours to meet and discuss
common interests. Marilyn
hopes this fair will be an annual event.
Marilyn's energy and enthusiasm are both amazing and
inspirational. Marilyn and her son both recently had surgery and Trevor was
not present today.
To contact Marilyn
about LEK email: kevsjadegem@yahoo.com
Glendale
Civic Pride Board Member Mickey along with Amy Turner-Dobson,
a teacher of autistic children at "The Aces" and
Paige Garret Executive Director Quality of Life Community
Services. -Photo by Ed Sharpe, Glendale Daily
Planet.
Glendale
Civic Pride is recruiting new members. The contact number is: 602-212-6752
GCPA MISSION and GOALS
Mission
The Glendale Civic Pride Ambassadors
is an organization of citizens with a deep sense of pride in
their community. They are dedicated to enhancing the economic,
social, and cultural vitality of Glendale, Arizona.
Goals
a.) To help others better understand
and appreciate the excellent quality of life in Glendale by
drawing attention to Glendale’s unique qualities, customs,
standards, and traditions.
b.) To elevate regional awareness and
appreciation of Glendale by providing positive information
about the community to people throughout Maricopa County and
beyond.
c.) To demonstrate pride and loyalty
to Glendale by creating and participating in activities,
programs, and projects for residents and visitors alike, by
volunteering enthusiastically to share civic pride, knowledge,
and spirit in a variety of public activities, and by
preserving and revering the rich heritage of the community
through embracing its glorious past and planning for its even
more promising future.
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