Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 424

TIIE ARIZONA REPUBLIC 'h azjoentralcom saturday April 20, 2002 FOOTHILLS- i fc I a i i pi 1 3 I. 'Good Neighbors' from Boeing giving back to Tempe TODAY'S TOPICS: WORSHIP OUR PAST PEOPLE 7 For the Tempe agency called Christmas in April, additional Santa's helpers are scheduled to arrive this morning. Twenty-five volunteers from the Boeing Co. in Mesa will paint senior citizens' homes, assisting the organization's charitable home-renovation and repair outreach to the poor, elderly and disabled. An additional 30 volunteers will help Tempe's Junior Achievement high schoolers as they clean buildings and move furniture.

The project is among 70 labor-of-love undertakings that will benefit as many charitable and non-profit agencies and schools in the East Valley and the rest of Maricopa deavors as cleaning and washing the Apache Junction Food Bank, planting vegetation along Usery Mountain Park's trails and painting the Queen Creek Community Center. The beneficiaries are among some 300 non-profits that collectively receive more than $1 million a year from the Boeing Employees Community Fund. "The spirit of giving back and volunteering is strong in our company," said Bill McLean, Boeing's business manager of operations and Good Neighbor co-chairman. "Before we had one project submitted to us, we had 1,500 volunteers." "It kind of snowballed," said Mike Smith, the event's other co-chair- man and Boeing's systems-integration manager of U.S. government programs.

The outpouring, even though it includes family members of Boeing employees, represents more than half of Boeing's workforce. Hundreds of them are young people from Boeing's electrical shop, kids working on their first jobs out of high school. Today, they'll clean up the Salt River picnic areas. "And they say kids never give back," McLean said. It's nice to see a local giant like Boeing giving back as well.

Reach Thomason at art.thomason arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-7971. irnir irT-rn rr i $1 UR(Sl I INI II LJ DID CHANDLER I RecosRd. Gefmann Rd -ih i ir I Qusen toekRd. TocoWio Kill ip HH SHOPPING DETECTIVE 6-month report on center mostly positive Mil ART THOMASON The Arizona Republic County, thanks to 2,500 Boeing Good Neighbor Day volunteers. It is the largest (or close to it) example of volunteerism by employees of any one company in the East Valley and represents the good will that many social service agencies are dependent upon to survive.

Expended will be more than 10,000 free-labor hours on such en 71V Jl tacks, is 96 percent leased. "For a new mall to be this full this quick is an enormous achievement," said Joe Brown, the mall's general manager. Two nearby power centers also operated by the mall's developer, Westcor Partners, are 96 and 90 percent leased. Exact sales figures are kept secret, but Brown said the mall is in second place behind Scottsdale Fashion Square for average sales per square foot in the Westcor chain of eight malls, not counting a new mall in Prescott. Arrowhead Towne Center in Glendale came in third.

No one is certain if the Chandler mall has affected business at other malls because the recession has dampened sales in Sec MALL Tage 2 "Even steady never manager I -vt i I I LA Photos by Laurie Beth EllisThe Arizona Republic So many shops, so much time. Joe Brown, Chandler Fashion Center general manager, takes a stroll through the mall with receptionist Dawn Anderson (far left) and concierge manager Dawn Victor. Mall, indeed, in high fashion BY EMILY NOCK Stores ready for promtime players' night It's promtime! It's what underclassmen wait two years to attend. But with all the excitement, disaster can arise. Tears can fall and fabric can fly.

Enter the Shopping Detective.The list below may help high school girls find the perfect dress. The stores below cover most price ranges. David's Bridal Ahwatukee Foothills Towne Center, 5043 E. Ray Road, Ahwatukee Foothills, (480)785-7300 One of the best things about this store is that it offers dresses to fit all body types. No matter what size you wear, you should be able to find a dress here.

Prices also were inviting, and a nice selection is available for around $100. David's is also having a prom night special sale, offering a 15 percent discount on accessories bought with your dress. Arizona Bridal Warehouse 2450 W. Broadway Road, Mesa, (480) 517-0027 Bridal gowns are clearly their specialty, but don't overlook the large selection of dresses that are perfect for prom. The style this year seems to be beaded, citrus-tone dresses, and Arizona Bridal has some beautiful ones in lime green, coral and purple that ring up for about $340.

It's pricey, but the dresses are almost your chance of having a twin on prom night greatly decreases. Steinmart 4633 E. Ray Road, Ahwatukee Foothills, (480) 705-9404 You may riot think "prom" when you visit this store. Although Steinmart has a limited selection, the dresses are more sophisticated. You will look like you're heading to a fancy dinner party afterwards.

A pink floral dress, longer in the back and very elegant, was $79.99. Neiman Marcus Last Call 5000 S. Arizona Mills Circle, Tempe, (480) 831-7979 Top-name designer prom dresses at half price that's the lure of this discount store. Even so, "half price" can still mean hundreds of dollars. The selection of gowns is large, ranging from classic to one-of-a kind finds.

If you're looking for designer style try one of the Laundry dresses, starting at $98. Also, you can get 10 percent off your prom dress when you present a valid student ID. Group USA 5000 S. Arizona Mills Circle, Tempe, (480) 491-7600 Eventually, every East Valley promgoer finds her way here. Whether it is style, color, size or price, Group USA seems to have it all.

Many of their dresses are coral and orange, two of the most popular colors this year. One dress, in black or brown satin with a beaded top that laces up the back was only $69.99. You should also check out the 50 percent-off rack. But choose carefully. Most tags said Final Sale.

Know of any interesting shopping experiences in the East Valley? Write me in care of se.newsarizonarepublic.com. tj; id Jeanne Hernandez The Arizona Republic ZIP AROUND THE EAST VALLEY ZIP code: 85248 2000 population: 34,201 1990 population: 9,305 Home sales this week: 40 Previous four weeks: 173 Same four weeks 2001: 174 Median price this week: $198,500 Top price this week: $552,893 Realtor's outlook: "The completion of the Loop 101 makes this hidden oasis very accessible. The quickly growing infrastructure of businesses, restaurants and other amenities is helping local home prices appreciate," Lucas Group brokerowner Jeff Lucas said. For a look at recent home sales in your community, turn to Page 3. SUMMIT TO TEE OFF Summit School Ahwatukee is hosting its first golf challenge May 10 at the Club West Golf Course in Ahwatukee Foothills.

The event will benefit Summit and will offer prizes. Players will receive lunch, drink tickets, unlimited range privileges, 18 holes of golf, tickets to an evening event. Donations are tax deductible. To sign up to play or for information on sponsorship, contact Christina at (480) 759-9365. Registration forms can be downloaded at www.summit-schoolaz.org.

Deadline is May 3. FRIENDS IN FOOTHILLS Ahwatukee Foothills Friends and Neighbors will meet at 9 a.m. Monday at Stein Mart on Ray Road. It will include a fashion show of latest spring fashions, modeled by club members, their children and grandchildren. Free, but registration is required.

Call (480) 706-5263. MOM CONTEST Lois' Gifts, at the Foothills Park Plaza at Desert Foothills Parkway and Chandler Boulevard, is holding a "Mother of the Year" contest. Get entry forms at Lois' Gifts and at Evergreen Charter School. Kids of any age may enter, with entries due May 1. The child with the winning entry will get a $50 gift certificate to Toys Us.

Mom wins a $50 gift certificate to Lois' Gifts and pampering at Desert Sun Spa. Winner will be named May 11. azentralcom FIND OUT MORE ONLINE Your Ahwatukee Foothills online community: ahwatukee.azcentral.com WEDNESDAY TOPICS: SCHOOLS NEIGHBORHOODS THURSDAY TOPICS: LEADERSHIP SAFETY FRIDAY TOPICS: THINGS TO DO HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS after six months, I'm still getting a amount of people who have been here," said Jeff Freeman, of the Eddie Bauer Home store. Ity Betty Beard The Arizona Republic Six months after it opened in the midst of national mourning over the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Chandler Fashion Center appears to have shaken off the doldrums and become a success, attracting shoppers from Tucson to Flagstaff.

"I hear it's hot as a pistol," said Bernard Goldstein, a Phoenix retail analyst. "Everybody I have spoken to said they are far above anything they planned or expected. The numbers continue to exceed what they had planned. It's extremely positive." The 1.3 million-square-foot mall, southwest of Loop 101 (Price Freeway) and Chandler Boulevard, which opened about a month after the at Volunteers' President Bush has called on Americans to volunteer time to helping others and create "a new culture of responsibility." This is another installment in a series of periodic columns by freelance writer hen Gutman on volunteer opportunities in the East Valley. You might imagine that even with all the miracles of modern science, severely disabled people lead lives full of misery and despair.

If you do, you've probably never met Ernie. Ernie, who asked that his last name not be used, is a 33-year-old "consumer" at The Centers for Habilitation (TCH) in Tempe. He spends his days there working on skills so basic that a typical preschooler could master rewards can be 'miraculous' 33-year-old Lisa Gallagher, Ernie's teacher at the center. "It's fun. We on outings and teach them living skills.

I love these guys." Not all of Gallagher's students face as many physical and mental challenges, but she seems to get the most reward from those who are the most developmentally disabled. When I arrived at TCH spend time volunteering, Gallagher wasted no time putting me to work with Ernie. She handed me some crayons and paper and asked me to work with him on his coloring skills. As I reached for Ernie's hand, I felt nervous about this same task I perform all the time with my 4-year-old son. He shyly pulled away.

But soon the crayon was in See HELP rage 2 ii Arizona a a GIVING YOUR TIME LEN GUTMAN Special for The Republic them. For Ernie, these skills are nearly impossible. Ernie has cerebral palsy and severe mental retardation. He can barely speak, he can't feed himself or change his own clothes, and his body is severely contorted. Nevertheless, Ernie typically sports a smile so infectious just looking at him makes you want to laugh out loud.

"I feel so good about coming to work here every day," said ewxHbmes Nv r- I 1 -(Sf i -J go to.