In total, Fountain Hills Food Pack has provided 640,200 meals in these ten years. This is the tenth year that volunteers in Fountain Hills have participated in the project, said Rubenow. World locations to which food will be sent include Ukraine, Haiti, and Honduras. Additional meals were delivered to the Navajo Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Arizona Native American Connections and Grace in the City Outreach in Phoenix and AZ Brainfood, which serves school children in the Valley. Extended Hands Food Bank in Fountain Hills received 9600 meals. The meals are being distributed by various groups that feed the hungry. This can be cooked with minimal supplies. The nutritious dehydrated meals, packed from nutritionally sustainable bulk ingredients consisted of dried oatmeal mix with sugar, cinnamon and vitamin mix. Volunteers supporting a very robust turnout of New Journey Lutheran members were several groups: amazing student runners and packers from The Inspiration Academy, Fountain Hills High School, International School of Arizona, and Girl Scout Troop 6445, as well as the Rural Metro Fire team which provided heavy lifting support. These included the Northeast Valley Consortium (a network of ELCA congregations) Fountain Hills Presbyterian, Noon Kiwanis, Thrivent, Messinger Mortuary, and Safeway. In addition, many other groups and individuals helped provide financing and volunteers. The ecumenical activity was organized by New Journey Lutheran Church (ELCA), and supported by Church of the Ascension (Catholic), and Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran (LCMC). Even after a three-year hiatus, volunteers were eager to participate in the food pack,” said Denny Rubenow, chair of the event. He has sung with the Philadelphia Philharmonic and the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall.Thanks to the generosity of 225 volunteers, the March 2 Fountain Hills Food Pack for Food for Kidz provided 72,000 meals for hungry neighbors near and far. He began singing when he was nine and started directing as a freshman in high school when his teacher gave him the opportunity. Mattison is an accomplished musician, playing piano and organ. His undergraduate work was at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, N.J. He earned his doctorate in choral conducting from the University of Arizona. The Arts at Ascension program will be postponed until the 2022-23 season.īefore coming to Fountain Hills, Mattison was in Tucson. Mattison, who already has met with the church choir and begun rehearsals for upcoming events, said he will continue the “Festival of Lessons and Carols” program this year. “His program at the church will carry on.” “Charles has been so great,” Mattison said. Szczepanek, however, has been present for Mattison, offering assistance and support as Mattison begins his new journey. Szczepanek moved with his family to Colorado to work on his personal music career. Mattison picks up where Charles Szczepanek left off at Ascension. “I think he would be pleased about my new position.” “I have dedicated my career to him,” Mattison said. Sadly, Mattison’s grandfather died of cancer without ever hearing his grandson sing. He comes from a musical family – his grandfather was a singer, enjoying singing for his community and for his church. You find that all in the first five minutes of meeting him.Īnd as the new music director at Ascension Church, these attributes should serve him well. Passionate, funny, engaging, enthusiastic. Linda McThrall, Special Publications Editorīilly Mattison is a hail-fellow-well-met.
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