Historical League is proud to support the 3rd grade AHS Postcard Contest! Congrats to Andy Zhao.
With a charming smile F. RONALD “RON” RAYNER -- Innovative Crop Management Practices Nationally Recognized, Community Leader -- is honored as 2025 Arizona Historymaker at the Announcement event. Along with his family he spent the afternoon greeting his many supporters and fellow Historymakers.
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Arizona Historymakers have made significant contributions to a broad range of communities and the heritage of Arizona. The other 2025 Historymakers are:
BOB BOZE BELL -- Writer, Humorist, Artist, Old West Historian
DIANA “DeDe” YAZZIE DEVINE -- Created Innovative Housing, Health Programs for Native Americans
JOHN W. GRAHAM -- Real Estate Development, Deep and Enduring Community Involvement
SHARON HARPER and OLIVER HARPER, M.D. -- Business/Civic Leaders
SISTER ADELE O’SULLIVAN, CSJ, M.D. -- Sister of St. Joseph, Established Innovative Continuum of Care for Arizonans Experiencing Homelessness
ERIC M. REIMAN, M.D. – World leader in the Fight Against Alzheimer’s
DUANE M. WOOTEN, M.D. -- Well-Known Pediatrician, South Phoenix Community Leader
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| John Graham, Dr. Eric Reiman, Sharon Harper, Sister Adele O'Sullivan, Diana Dede Devine, Ron Rayner, Bob Boze Bell, Dr. Duane Wooten, Dr. Oliver Harper - 2025 Arizona Historymakers |
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| Back row L to R: Sabrina Rayner and husband Ross Rayner. Historymaker 2025 Ron and wife Heather Rayner. Robert Rayner and wife Sharon Rayner. Margaret Baker. Front row: Larry Baker Margaret Baker writes, "Ron, brother Robert, and son Ross are natives of Goodyear - I'm a native of Phoenix, Larry and Sharon are natives of Buckeye." Since the early 1900s the Rayner family has been very active in farming in the West Valley as has Margaret Baker's family. Arizona natives have a unique story to tell. |
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| Rayner family viewing the 2023 Arizona Historymakers Exhibit |
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| Historymaker Co-Chairs Diane Smith and Diana Smith welcome attendees |
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| Ron Rayner and son Ross |
Remember being in 3rd grade?
Two Greenlee County third-graders were among 14 selected statewide to have their artwork celebrating their home state printed and offered for sale as postcards.
Imagine you were a winner in the AZ 3rd grade postcard contest and your teacher didn't tell you. Cassandra Hernandez surprised her student, Skylar James, when the YouTube announcement video played and her name was announced. "Her eyes lit up and the whole classroom went crazy," Hernandez said.
AHS invited third graders across the state to creatively celebrate Arizona through the 5 Cs, historical events, landscapes, people or animals. Teachers from participating classes selected one entry to submit to the historical society, where a panel of retired teachers used a rubric to select 18 finalists before narrowing that number down to 14 winners.
The winners' entries will be turned into postcards that will be available in the gift shop of the Arizona History Museum.
Each student also will also receive a visit from historical society representatives for an award presentation and a classroom pizza party. Winners will receive a gift bag, and their teachers will receive a gift as well.
Kristen Rex, AHS vice president of education, said the contest is aimed at third graders because that is the earliest grade in which history and social studies are introduced into the school curriculum. The reason for encouraging the student to design postcards is actually linked to Arizona history: Early settlers didn't have cell phones and computers, so they frequently communicated via penny postcards.
Dates for the pizza parties haven't been set yet, but Duncan's Barker acknowledged it's going to be a big deal for her pupil Addie.
"She's very excited," Barker said.Full story at https://www.eacourier.com/.../article_950126de-fb9f-11ef...
History comes alive as Arizona Historymakers Bob Boze Bell 2025 and Marshall Trimble 2014 share Arizona stories.
Scottsdale’s Neighborhood Advisory Commission recently named Mary and John Garbaciak and Clayton Companies as the 2024 Spirit of Scottsdale Awards winners.
Since 2019, this annual awards program has recognized the people and places that embody the “Spirit of Scottsdale,” particularly through neighborhood stewardship and the ways in which a person or organization contributes to Scottsdale physically, aesthetically or socially.
The 2024 Individual award went to John and Mary Garbaciak, who were nominated for their dedication to beautifying Scottsdale’s roads. John and Mary volunteer as part of the Scottsdale Adopt-a-Road Program, which asks groups to clean their assigned roadway at least three times a year.
Since 2019, this annual awards program has recognized the people and places that embody the “Spirit of Scottsdale,” particularly through neighborhood stewardship and the ways in which a person or organization contributes to Scottsdale physically, aesthetically or socially.
The 2024 Individual award went to John and Mary Garbaciak, who were nominated for their dedication to beautifying Scottsdale’s roads. John and Mary volunteer as part of the Scottsdale Adopt-a-Road Program, which asks groups to clean their assigned roadway at least three times a year. John and Mary have been cleaning their roadway – Shea Boulevard from 108th to 116th St. – two-to-three times a month since October 2018.
The 2024 Business/Organization winner is Clayton Companies, a family-owned business that has been renovating and developing real estate in Old Town/South Scottsdale for almost 40 years. In 2024 they finished renovating a retail center located on the east side of Hayden Road just south of Osborn Road. As part of this project, they moved a Polynesian-themed Dairy Queen that was slated for demolition and remodeled the retail center around it. Clayton Companies preserved the building’s unique history, while creating an inviting place for the community.
This year, the Neighborhood Advisory Commission received 12 nomination submissions:
The winners were recognized on Tuesday, March 18, with a presentation of the awards during the Scottsdale City Council meeting. The nomination period for 2025 will open in May.
"A trip down memory lane . . ." Dr. Josephine Pete described the tour of George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center as she shared enlightening stories. "What I enjoyed most was taking it with our league members."
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| Jazz scene, artist Mary Gray. |
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| Historical information along the hallway of the Museum |
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| Gift shop |
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| Laundry, a watercolor by OL Stanley. |
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| African American dolls from the Museum’s collection |
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| Sculpture by John Henry Waddell "That Which Might Have Been" |
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| Historical information along the hallway of the Museum. |
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| Current Exhibit, Photography by Joseph Schwartz |
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| Jamey Palm, Office and Facilities Manager |
Surrounded by family and friends, DIANA “DeDe” YAZZIE DEVINE -- Created Innovative Housing, Health Programs for Native Americans -- is honored as 2025 Arizona Historymakers at the Historymakers Announcement event at Arizona Heritage Center at Papago Park.
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| Keith Hainsworth, Diana "DeDe" Yazzie Devine, Danielle Hainsworth |
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| Historical League co-president Pam denDraak, 2025 Historymakers Sister Adele O'Sullivan and Diana "DeDe" Yazzie Devine |
The Historical League announced seven new individuals and one couple who have made significant contributions to a broad range of communities and the heritage of Arizona are:
BOB BOZE BELL -- Writer, Humorist, Artist, Old West Historian
DIANA “DeDe” YAZZIE DEVINE -- Created Innovative Housing, Health Programs for Native Americans
JOHN W. GRAHAM -- Real Estate Development, Deep and Enduring Community Involvement
SHARON HARPER and OLIVER HARPER, M.D. -- Business/Civic Leaders
SISTER ADELE O’SULLIVAN, CSJ, M.D. -- Sister of St. Joseph, Established Innovative Continuum of Care for Arizonans Experiencing Homelessness
F. RONALD “RON” RAYNER -- His Innovative Crop Management Practices Nationally Recognized, Community Leader
ERIC M. REIMAN, M.D. – World leader in the Fight Against Alzheimer’s
DUANE M. WOOTEN, M.D. -- Well-Known Pediatrician, South Phoenix Community Leader
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| John Graham, Dr. Eric Reiman, Sharon Harper, Sister Adele O'Sullivan, Diana "Dede" Yazzie Devine, Ron Raynes, Bob Boze Bell, Dr. Duane Wooten, Dr. Oliver Harper |
