Chinese history in Arizona

Mary Parker and Laurie-Sue Rhetts visit with M. Cheak Yee

We have the most interesting guest speakers at our Historical League meetings. January brought us M. Cheak Yee with stories, anecdotes, magazines and photos of China and the settling of Chinese in Arizona. Government regulations, politics and people played an important role. A copy of Tastes & Treasures cookbook was given to Mr. Yee after his presentation.

Looking forward to Win Holden, publisher of Arizona Highways, to be guest speaker in February.

Amazing Amazon Fulfillment Center Tour

What a treat to go inside this enormous facility on Wed, Jan 14. What vision Jeff Bezos had when he started this idea in his garage in 1994. Our tour guide was charming as she began the first tour of the season and filled us in with lots of statistics. I thought Amazon was all about shopping on the internet. But they also have TV with Amazon studios, deliver groceries, working on drones to deliver packages to your home, publish books, study the hottest trends and more.

The fulfillment center is full of inspirations, motivational sayings. "Work hard, have fun, make history." The have a military career choice program. They use so much innovative technology with 19 million products, 3 stories tall building, 40,000 yellow bins full of merchandise. 8 miles of conveyer belts all in a space that would fill Fenway Park.

Thanks again to Linda Fritsch and Lindy Isacksen for organizing such an informational and exciting morning.

Lunch at the original Garcia's

family wedding

After an amazing tour of Amazon Fulfillment Center on Wed, January 14, the Historical League had a delicious lunch at the original Garcia's restaurant on 35th Ave, north of McDowell in Phoenix. Tony Garcia, son of the original owners, spoke about his mother and father with their close ties to the community. He grew up in the area around the restaurant attending neighborhood pot luck dinners. The dishes his mother brought were very popular with the community. After much encouragement about the food and recipes, his mother decided to open a local restaurant.
Thanks again to Linda Fritsch and Lindy Isacksen for organizing such a wonderful tour and lunch.

Tony Garcia with Linda Fritsch

Judy Blackwell with Tony Garcia

Historymaker John Driggs 1927- 2014

John Douglas Driggs passed away on December 11, 2014 at age 87. He was born in Douglas, Arizona, but the family soon moved to Phoenix where he graduated from North Phoenix High School. He served in the Navy in World War II, was a missionary for the LDS Church in New England, and then earned an undergraduate degree and MBA from Stanford University. For 35 years, he was employed as an executive at Western Savings and Loan, a business started by his family.

John served two terms as mayor of Phoenix and he believed his single biggest project was establishing the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. During his tenure as mayor, John organized the Phoenix Historical Society, making it a chapter of the Arizona Historical Society, now home to the Museum at Papago Park.

Historical preservation was a passion of John Driggs and under his leadership the Rosson House and Heritage Square in Phoenix were restored. His latest project was guiding the restoration of Tovrea Castle. 

In 2005, John was honored as a Historymaker. John was very supportive of the Historical League and participated in Historymaker presentations and events. John also served on the state board of the Arizona Historical Society.

His wife, Gail, five sons, nineteen grandchildren and seven great grand grandchildren, survive John.

Ten new members attend December meeting

Anthony Martin

So nice to meet new Historical League members at the lovely home of Joan Galloway at our December meeting: Katherine Thornhill, Cindy Nelson, Anthony Martin, Rebecca Stone, Margie Kesler, Helen Swanson, Cathy Shumard, Liz Sestak and Carolyn Mock. Pictured are several of them standing to introduce themselves. Membership Chair Karen Swanson (also standing) has done a wonderful job making new members feel invited and comfortable.

Cathy Shumard

Liz Sestak

Helen Swanson

Margie Kesler

Historical League newsletter now available online

Isn't modern technology great!!!!

http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/1767395/653cd3b31e/TEST/TEST/

Cookies for Santa

Nothing more fun than a 4-year old getting ready for Santa on Christmas Eve. We wore our Historical League aprons as we baked and decorated these yummy cookies. Easy and fun with wonderful memories for everyone.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
(makes 20-23)
Ingredients:
1 cup spelt or whole wheat pastry flour (130g) (Gluten-free recipe here)
3/4 cup rolled oats (60g)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp chopped walnut pieces
3 tbsp shredded coconut (15g)
1/4 to 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (40g)
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp vegetable oil (50g) (See substitution note in the instructions below.)
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp pure maple syrup (74g)
pinch stevia, or 1 extra tbsp pure maple syrup
If using the stevia option, add 1 tbsp milk of choice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a mini muffin pan or cookie tray. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir very well. In a separate bowl, whisk together all liquid ingredients. Pour wet into dry and stir to form a dough. Chill dough in the refrigerator at least 1 hour. Roll out chocolate chip oatmeal cookie dough balls by smushing the dough together with your fingers. Place in the greased tins or on the pan, smush down if you want flat cookies, and bake 7 minutes. The oatmeal chocolate chip cookies should still look a little undercooked when you remove them from the oven, but they’ll firm up as they cool. Set the tray aside for 10 minutes before removing the cookies.
SUBSTITUTION: Coconut oil may be substituted for the vegetable oil. If using coconut oil, roll cookie dough balls before refrigerating the dough, as coconut oil hardens when chilled.
Thanks to Chocolate Covered Katie for the recipe.