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Neighbors Pages A+1-9
Youth Pages A+10-17
Fitness
SanTan Family Fun
challenge
Your child’s fi rst
AZ Arts Pages A+25-27
winner crush, now what?
Active Life Page A+28
Spirituality Pages A+29-31
Youth SanTan Family Fun
Directory Pages A+32-34
Page A+12 A+ Center Spread
Classifieds Pages A+35-36
www.SanTanSun.com March 1 - 14, 2008
Ostrich Fest on the run
Hamilton employee
wins BMW
Dan Walden, head of security at Hamilton High
School, recently took home a $40,000 BMW 2008 BMW
Z4 3.0i Roadster convertible in the 2008 Chandler
Education Foundation (CEF) raffl e.
Walden, who was working at a Hamilton basketball
game when he learned he’d won, purchased his ticket
from his co-worker the day before the raffl e’s end.
“I usually buy three tickets each year, but she only
forfor prizes. More than 20 vendors prizes More than 20 vendors
had one left by the time I heard about the raffl e,”
offer information and giveaways
explains Walden. “She reminded me that it only takes
during the run’s associated health
one ticket to win. This feels great – I didn’t believe it
and wellness fair from 9 a.m. to
when they called me.”
1 p.m. Stop by for a cholesterol
This is the second straight year a Hamilton High
or blood pressure check, talk
School employee has driven home the raffl e’s top
to healing experts or see a yoga
prize. Last year, Hamilton Spanish teacher Linda
demonstration.
Hayes won a Mercedes-Benz.
STSN photos
In addition, the Fun Run offers
The raffl e benefi ts CEF’s VISION:CollegeBound
EVERYTHING OSTRICH: The annual ostrich races will once again take place at the Ostrich an “Ostrich Drop” at 1 p.m. More
scholarship program. For more information
Festival at Tumbleweed Park. Dress up like one for the 5K Fun Run on March 1.
than 3,000 miniature, stuffed
about CEF programs, call 480-812-7631 or visit
Although the bulk of activities associated with ostriches are dropped from a fi re
www.ChandlerEdFoundation.org.
the 20th Annual Ostrich Festival take place March 7 truck ladder to a bull’s-eye below. The bird that
through 9, the event gets an early start on March 1 lands on the spot could win its owner up to $6,000
with the Blue Cross Blue Shield 5K Fun Run, which cash or other prizes, including four pairs of tickets
takes off at 10 a.m. at Tumbleweed Park, on the on Southwest Airlines. The Sun Lakes Crown Rotary
southwest corner of McQueen and Germann in and the Chandler Chamber are selling tickets for the
Southern Chandler. Ostrich Drop. Call 480-963-4571 or 480-895-0547 for
Cheer on your favorite runners or enter the “favorite info.
fi ne feathered friend” ostrich costume contest and vie
See Ostrich Fest Page A+6
”Faces” of chronic
fatigue on display
by Louise Gacioch
Submitted photo
For the hundreds of SanTan Sun area residents who
GRAND PRIZE: HHS employee Dan Walden sits in the seat of
suffer from the crushing illness that can be diffi cult his new BMW he won through the 2008 Chandler Education
to diagnosis and treat, chronic fatigue syndrome is
Foundation (CEF) raffl e as emcee Ramzy Saba and CEF Executive
Director Glenna McCollum-Cloud look on.
an all-too-familiar enemy. But, according to experts,
the disease that just came to have a name within the
past 20 years is still a source of debate and confusion
for many.
Helping to demystify the disease is the traveling
Help children with
exhibit “The Faces of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS),”
coming to the Arizona Mills food court area March 6
catastrophic diseases
through 10. The sponsor, American Association of
Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome
Blake’s Miracle 3rd Annual SWIM-A-THON
or CFIDS, reports that 1 million Americans, 80 percent
and silent auction, a fundraiser for children
women, suffer from CFS, but fewer than 20 percent
battling catastrophic diseases, will be held 8 a.m.
have been diagnosed.
to 6 p.m. Sat., March 1 at SWIMkids USA, 2725
Chief symptoms are severe and chronic fatigue, brain
W. Guadalupe Rd. in Mesa.
fog, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, headaches,
SanTan Sun area residents are invited to cheer
and sleep disorder, according to Dr. Scott Rigden of
on swimmers ages 12 months to 12 years, who
Chandler, who treats about 150 CFS patients.
will swim to raise a goal of $50,000 to help
For much of the past 20 years, symptoms have often
hospitalized children in the East Valley.
been dismissed as “all in the head,” according to the
Submitted photo
The event is spearheaded by the family of
association. However, patients and doctors agree that
ALWAYS TIRED: Chronic fatigue syndrome makes people always Blake Whitehead, who was only 21 months old
feel tired and aching.
CFS can wreak havoc on individuals and families,
when he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic
lifestyles and livelihoods.
Leukemia (ALL) in 2005. After a three-month
“It gets you down pretty quickly,” explains area
prescriptions, vitamins, mild exercise and changes in
fi ght against the disease, he died March 8, 2006.
resident Celeste Smith, 68, who has been ill with the
diet. He taught Smith to conserve energy. Excessive
Shortly afterward, Blake’s family turned their
disease for more than a decade, following a bout with
movement is often followed by stretches of severe
grief into Blake’s Miracle Foundation to help
the fl u. “I became constantly tired and remained
malaise.
other unfortunate children still struggling with
lethargic, unable to get up and do anything. I ached,
“I’m one of the lucky ones as my case is mid-level,”
life-threatening diseases.
and I couldn’t get a good night’s sleep.”
Smith says. “There are very severe cases where people
The silent auction features items like gift
First, Rigden tested Smith for Valley fever, hepatitis
can’t get out of bed.”
certifi cates, merchandise and other services
and illnesses with similar symptoms. Smith responded
On a typical day, Smith rises to read the paper,
donated by businesses. All contributions are tax
to questionnaires designed by the Centers for Disease
returns to bed for a half-hour, gets up to do light
deductible for the 501(c)(3) nonprofi t.
Control, and the doctor determined the diagnosis.
housekeeping, sleeps for an hour, then goes to out
For more details or to donate to Blake’s Miracle
Rigden’s treatments have helped greatly,
to lunch and perhaps do a little shopping with her
Foundation, visit www.blakesmiracle.org.
according to Smith. The regimen includes a variety of See Fatigue Page A+12
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