This week on Arizona Illustrated: meet a group dedicated to rescuing and rehoming Boston Terriers; The Scoundrel and Scamp Theatre helps young performers take their first creative steps; the sweet acacia is good for the environment and smells great too and see why our story “Eveli” won an Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in innovation.
Boston Terrier Rescue In 1974, residents in the Phoenix (Arizona) area created the Rescue Committee of the Valley of the Sun Boston Terrier Club. The group, founded by Boston Terrier fans and breeders, later became Arizona Boston Terrier Rescue, Inc. (AZBTR) and is a registered Arizona 501c3 non-profit corporation with the mission of rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing unwanted Boston Terriers.
Scoundrel & Scamp Youth Acting and Theatre Arts Education Annika Maher, Zachary Austin and Alexandra Kaplan are preparing the new generation of actors at Scoundrel & Scamp Theater. Students in elementary school start their adventure in the Acting & Theater Arts program, learning how to develop their confidence and collaborate to make stories come to life. The journey becomes more in-depth as they age. Middle and high school students improve their skills through scenes and monologues in Scamp Company. They explore not only how to perform, but how to shape a performance by using voice, movement, and technology to tell compelling stories. They take the center stage to show what they’ve learned after months of practice, preparation, and teamwork. It’s more than a show, it’s a moment of growth, courage, and pride.
Desert Plants - Sweet Acacia The Sonoran Desert is home to thousands of native plants, and in addition to these endemics, people living in this region can grow many other drought-tolerant specimens. Sweet acacia (Vachellia farnesiana) is one of them. This native tree provides welcome shade for people and cover for animals, with attractive yellow blooms and an alluring smell during certain times of the year.
Eveli Eveli Sabatie, a jeweler born in Algeria, has spent the greater part of her adult life immersed in the rich cultural tapestry of the American Southwest. Her artistic journey took a pivotal turn when she met the renowned Hopi jeweler Charles Loloma—an encounter that would shape the course of her creative life. Captivated by her spirit and potential, Loloma invited Eveli to live and work with him on Hopi land, where she apprenticed under his guidance. His mentorship left a lasting impression on her, yet Eveli soon began to craft a distinctive voice of her own in the world of jewelry. After leaving Hopi, her reputation blossomed, and she became a celebrated figure throughout the Southwest. Notably, she holds the rare distinction of being the only non–Native American artist to exhibit at the Wheelwright Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico.