CAREFREE TRUTH
Carefree Truth #312
Carefree Truth
Issue #312, March 24, 2014
The first "Spirit of Carefree Award", jointly sponsored by the Town of Carefree and Sanderson Lincoln, was presented to Arthur Gimson in the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion at 1 PM on Saturday, March 24th, during the Sonoran Art League (SAL) show. This award will be presented annually to a Carefree citizen who has demonstrated an exceptional spirit of community service and volunteerism.
Mayor David Schwan opened the ceremony by saying that the award was made possible through a generous annual gift from Sanderson Lincoln as part of their "Giving Back to the Communities" effort, and he thanked them for partnering with the Town of Carefree. He gave Peggy Pettigrew Stewart a bouquet of roses, then turned the stage over to Councilwoman Melissa Price, organizer of the ceremony.
Melissa began by introducing SAL artist Peggy Pettigrew Stewart, who was chosen to create the handcrafted art glass sculpture (shown in the video below) that, along with a cash prize, was awarded to Arthur Gimson, and she praised Peggy for her spirit of giving back to the community. Ms. Pettigrew Stewart studied in the U.S. and Spain to develop her signature style, a contemporary glass series called "Earth, Wind, Sky, and Water". Each piece is from a life mask made from the face of a Hopi tribe member. Her work is exhibited in museums and private collections internationally.
Melissa then introduced Arthur Gimson, recipient of the 2014 "Spirit of Carefree Award". Arthur was born in the U.K. and came to the U.S. in 1965 while working for Hilton Hotel. He moved to the Valley of the Sun in 1982, and relocated to Carefree in 2003.
He has been affiliated with community service organizations for most of his adult life. Arthur has been a volunteer driver for the Foothills Caring Corps. (FCC) for over 5 years, and is a certified trainer for transporting people in wheel chairs. During the 2 years that he served on the Carefree Town Council he orchestrated the Carefree Veteran's Day event. He has served for many years on his HOA board of directors.
She ended by saying, "The Town of Carefree is honored to partner with Sanderson Lincoln to say thank you to a member of our community for his service. We honor your 'giving back to your communities' attitude, Arthur. Thank you."
Patrick Heigl, representing Sanderson Lincoln, stated that they are grateful to participate, calling their relationship with the Carefree community "organic". He thanked Peggy and Arthur for their contributions to the community, and presented Arthur with his art glass award and the additional cash award.
Arthur said he was "honored and humbled", and realized he had a lot of people to thank. The first was "the Great Spirit in our Heavens, without whom nothing is possible." Next he thanked his parents, who taught him right from wrong, and by example, that there is always something one can do to help others. He gave a big thank you to his wife Patty for her support and encouragement, and to his daughter Lara, who makes him proud of all she does in supporting many worthwhile charitable causes without any prodding from Dad.
He thanked David Schwan for introducing him the to FCC, saying jokingly that it almost made up for the Mayor's convincing him to run for the Carefree Council. He thanked SAL, Peggy, and Sanderson Lincoln, noting that Sanderson Lincoln and Sanderson Ford do much across the Valley in terms of giving back to the communities. He also thanked Juanita and Mark Wdowiak, owners of Desert Foothills Landscape, for the lovely Garden in which we all stood. Arthur is looking forward to the completion of the additional shade structures which will make the Pavilion a jewel within a jewel.
He announced that he will be donating the cash part of his award to the Caring Corps., as well as to Packages From Home and Operation Homefront, both of which benefit veterans. The remainder will go to Holly Bergman's organization, Foothills Animal Rescue, which allowed Arthur and Patty to adopt their adored Siberian Husky, who takes him for walks 3 times a day. He ended by saying, "To everyone involved, thank you very much."
Lyn Hitchon
