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Brent's Corner

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We are approaching the 30th anniversary of incorporation of Fountain Hills in December of this year. I was 13 at the time so I wasn’t really sure what that meant, or I really didn’t pay attention. All I knew was I lived in Fountain Hills.

My father was publishing The Fountain Hills Times and was in favor of incorporation. There were many in town who were opposed to it. At the time the vote was a little like the property tax vote we had last year with controversy surrounding the issue.

I learned from my dad what this all meant for our town and its future so I wanted to do something about it. I noticed someone who was opposed to the idea was placing flyers on people’s doors asking them to vote against incorporation. I followed by taking the inserts off the doors. Keep in mind I was young and would never do something like that today.

A few hours of doing this a man who lived in my neighborhood approached me to tell me what I was doing was wrong. He called my father, as well as the valley news stations. Now here is the publisher of the local newspaper making the local news. I only did it because I always looked up to my dad and of course you know what they say: Family comes first.

I spoke to the Leadership Academy this past week, and my father suggested I share a similar story to the group. This story took place when I was five years old.

My parents moved us to Fountain Hills when I was three and at the age of five there wasn’t much to do in this town but I now knew my dad published a local newspaper. When he came home one day with a box full of his new business cards I decided to help advertise my father and his business and make a little money doing so.

I took some of his business cards and jumped on my Big Wheel and started to go door to door selling them for two dollars apiece. I was telling people that his business card was worth way more than two dollars and that he will be somebody famous in this town.

The same person who caught me taking flyers now had placed a call to my dad to tell him what I was doing. My dad got angry, but this time the man told him, “No, it’s great he looks up to you like that, and this also shows he is going to be a great salesman one day.”

I did make a career in advertising sales eventually so I guess I was destined for this position with a little bit of practice in my younger years.

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We will kick off our annual Holiday in The Hills cash giveaway next Wednesday, Nov. 13. Participating businesses will have a box in their store front or restaurant along with an entry form to enter our weekly cash giveaway. We will give away five $25 dollars each to five winners every week for four weeks. We then do a final drawing for $200, $300 and $500. This is money that can be spent in any of the participating businesses in the area.

We have done this in past years as it’s a way to help stores and restaurants promote their business as well as keep our holiday spending money local.

Please see the next issue of The Fountain Hills Times for a list of participating businesses. Keep your dining and shopping local for the holidays.

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Halloween has just passed, and we attended a Halloween party at Mark and Vicky Derkson’s home. They throw a great party, and I just want to thank them for the invite. This year Gina and I went as Bob Ross. I thought I would share our costume with you.