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11th Annual Jack in the Box Celebrity Shootout on March 3 in Phoenix

The 11th Annual Jack in the Box Celebrity Shootout, presented by Robert and Carole Machiz, will take place on Saturday, March 3rd at 2 PM.

Entertainers (celebrity names TBD) representing the television, movie and recording industries will descend upon downtown Phoenix to play in this charity basketball game at US Airways Center.

Tickets start as low as $9!

Click here to buy online today:

http://www.nba.com/suns/celebshootout/

All proceeds benefit Phoenix Suns Charities and Suns Nite Hoops.

Suns Nite Hoops is a program dedicated to young adults in need of vocational development, educational advancement and life skills enhancement. The goal of Suns Nite Hoops is to reduce crime, teach essential life skills, and direct young men toward furthering their education and employment opportunities by providing them with a positive alternative to drugs, gangs and violence.

A vast majority of Suns Nite Hoops participants are African American males.

Click HERE to see our coverage from the 2011 Celebrity Shootout!

 

Event subject to change without notice.

 

Arizona Alliance of Black School Educators Night with the Phoenix Suns on March 12 - Sign Up Now

Arizona Alliance of Black School Educators (AABSE) Night with the Phoenix Suns!

Monday, March 12, 2012, 7:00 pm (4:45 pm early game entry)

US Airways Center, 201 East Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004 

Phoenix Suns vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

Join the AABSE for a Night Out with the Phoenix Suns. Participants will receive discounted tickets, a free Suns gift, and early game access at 4:45 pm to watch player warm-ups. AABSE has reserved limited seating in the following arena areas:

Club Annexus $65.00 (regularly $89.75)

Lower Level $45.00 (regularly $79.75)

Upper Level $25.00 (regularly $48.75)

Upper level $20.00 (regularly $29.75)

For more information, click on the following link to obtain an event flyer/order form:

http://www.azabse.org/apps/documents/

Bonus Opportunity

Purchase your tickets by Feb. 13, 2012 for an opportunity to win 2 free tickets (est. value $180.00) to a future Phoenix Suns game in Club Annexus. This V.I.P lower level experience includes dining for 2 (est. value $70.00)!

Go to www.usairwayscenter.com/arena/welcome/annexus/ for information about Club Annexus.

Call Lisa at 602.379.7528 or Zel at 602.369.0337 to order tickets.

For more information, e-mail info@azabse.org.

Arizona Black Rodeo Coming to Rawhide in Chandler on March 3 - Two Shows! Get Tickets Now!

It's Rodeo time for Arizona residents! So everyone, make sure to join in on the fun!  The ARIZONA BLACK RODEO comes to town with two shows on March 3 at 1 PM and 7 PM.

The shows will be held at RAWHIDE at Wildhorse Pass in Chandler, AZ

Featured Events: Barrel Racing, Tie-Down Ropin', Steer Wrestling and Bull Ridin'

There will be a special tribute to The Arizona Buffalo Soldiers Chapters, so you can be sure to expect an afternoon and evening filled with fun and entertainment.

The Arizona Black Rodeo will offer great entertainment and will feature the nation's top African American competitors. Make plans to bring the entire family for an educational and cultural experience.

To purchase Advance Tickets visit azblackrodeo.com or the Arizona Informant Office, 1301 E. Washington Street, Ste #101, Phoenix.

For additional Ticket Outlets, call (602) 550-0034 or e-mail info@azblackrodeo.com.

Soul Bowl with DJ Ced Ceballos on Sunday Nights in Phoenix

Soul Bowl with DJ Ced Ceballos** (formerly from the Phoenix Suns)

Every Sunday Night
6-10 PM

$10 All You Can Bowl
Drink Specials

Let It Roll Bowl
8925 North 12th Street, Phoenix

For more information, visit letitrollbowl.com.

**DJ Ced Ceballos will not be present on Suns home game nights. Other DJs to substitute.

Northwest Black History Committee to Host Black History Celebration & Festival on Feb. 25 in Peoria

The Northwest Black History Committee (NBHC) is a community-based organization comprised of business persons, clergy, military, students and citizens of all racial and cultural backgrounds.

The NBHC showcases the rich cultural heritage of African Americans and works with schools, West Valley municipalities and other organizations to bring much needed art, cultural information and education to the citizens of Arizona.

In 2012, please mark your calendars as the NBHC will be hosting the following community events.

February 25

Black History Celebration and Festival, the daylong festival in Peoria features: live music, vendors, free kids zone, free boot camp by a professional Personal Trainer, something for the entire family.  Special performances by national recording artists; Elaine Stepter and Fel Davis also Soul Power, Pete Pearson and others.  Free admission and parking.

April 21

Multicultural Music Festival: Live music including Jazz, Tijuana, Pop, Gospel, Rap, Hip Hop, vendors, car show and sports. The festival takes place 12-9PM at the beautiful 14-acre Gateway Park in El Mirage, AZ. Free Admission and parking. 

For more information on all events listed above, please visit www.aznbhc.org or call 623-204-0959.

Event information is subject to change without notice.

Stars, Athletes Shine at Basketball Celebrity Shootout in Phoenix on Jan. 29

Story and Photos Submitted by Jasmine Crowe

On January 29, Suns Nite Hoops in partnership with the Phoenix Suns hosted the 10th Annual Jack n’ the Box Celebrity Shootout at the US Airways center in downtown Phoenix.

The crowd was filled with children and adults alike all snapping pictures and cheering for their favorite stars. The crowd favorite was no doubt Chris Brown with the teenage girls literally losing their voices screaming his name from beginning to end. Brown treated the crowd to a small taste of his famed dance moves showing off some breakdancing skills and teaching us how to Dougie. Another favorite was Romeo who showed off the skills that led him to a full athletic scholarship at USC.

The white team which included stars: Recording Artist/Actor Romeo, Mixtape DJ/Producer DJ Clue, Fitness Guru Billy Blanks and Terrence J 106 & Park Host; Grant Hill served as the coach. The orange team featured: R&B Artist Chris Brown, Rapper and Actor Common, The Game actor Pooch Hall and Arizona Cardinals safety Kerry Rhodes; Jared Dudley served as the Orange Team’s coach.

Both teams had a mixture of celebrities and participants of the Suns Nite Hoops charity program. Suns Nite Hoops is a non-profit program offering life skills, educational advancement, and job readiness to at-risk young men and their families by providing them positive alternatives to drugs, gangs, and violence.

The game featured non-traditional on court commentary from Cedric Ceballos who would often meet the players on the free throw line for Q&A’s. Timeout performances  included: the Suns dancers, the hip hop squad and the hilarious Golden Grannies who treated us to a performance of blended Michael Jackson hits. At halftime, up-and-coming hip-hop artist Mann sang his radio hit "Buzzin'," a collaboration with 50 Cent.

While the white team dominated the first half, the orange team led by Chris Brown and Common would ultimately win it. Sorry, there were no triple-doubles in this game, the teams combined scores were just over 100 points. Rhodes tried his skills at dunking, but it was a flop, no one else attempted to dunk. I think Rhodes will certainly be sticking to football.

“It’s all for charity, and I love to support,” said Rhodes. 

When asked about how he likes Phoenix and the urban community that PhxSoul.com serves, Rhodes responded,  “I love it here, if I was still in New York it would be 10 below, I’m really happy to be in Phoenix.”

I truly enjoyed being in attendance - it’s always entertaining to see our stars outside of their element, especially when it’s for a good cause. Funds raised from the Shootout will benefit Phoenix Suns Charities and Suns Nite Hoops. Phoenix Suns Charities is the cornerstone of the team’s foundation, making grants to non-profit organizations that serve the youth in areas of education, health and human services, the arts, sports and recreation, and rehabilitation.

To learn more about Suns Nite Hoops, visit www.sunsnitehoops.org.

Greater Phoenix Urban League, Arizona Diamondbacks Partner to Present College Scholarships

The Greater Phoenix Urban League (GPUL) is pleased to report the awarding of four $500 scholarships from the Arizona Diamondbacks to graduating seniors from South Mountain High School. The scholarship presentation was held at Chase Field on January 25, 2011.
 
The seniors, Kyle Finger, Brianne McDonald, Elijah Levon and Latorey Suell, have grade point averages of at least 3.6 and are in advanced placement (AP) courses. This scholarship presentation was the first of its kind for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Students on the Move program as part of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Diversity Economic Impact Engagement (DEIE) Scholarship Fund.
 
Thanks to the Arizona Diamondbacks "Students on the Move" program, Marian Rhodes, the Diamondbacks' Vice President of Human Resources, and Chris Billingsley, Instructional Leader of South Mountain's Guidance Department. The $500 scholarships awarded to these students are for use towards their postsecondary education plans.

Congratulations to Kyle Finger, Brianne McDonald, Elijah Levon and Latorey Suell! 
 
Kyle Finger - Scholarship Recipient
College Choice: Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Chico or Cal State Sacramento
Major: Graphic Design
Career Goal: Become a professional baseball player

Brianne McDonald - Scholarship Recipient
College Choice: Arizona State University
Major: Sciences (Medical Field)
Career Goal: Pediatrician

Elijah Levon - Scholarship Recipient
College Choice: Hampton University
Major: Criminal Justice or Political Science/Vocal Performance
Career Goal: Attorney or singer/songwriter

Latorey Suell - Scholarship Recipient
College Choice: Howard University
Major: Psychology or Political Science
Career Goal: Therapist or Attorney

Special thanks to former Arizona Diamondbacks star Luis Gonzalez, GPUL President/CEO George Dean and Arizona Diamondbacks President/CEO Derrick Hall (all pictured below in order from left) who presented the scholarship checks and took photos with the recipients.

About the Greater Phoenix Urban League

The mission of the Greater Phoenix Urban League (GPUL) is to equip the disadvantaged with tools to achieve economic and social equality. This mission is realized through relevant programs in child development, college preparation, job readiness, housing, and small business support. While there is still much to be done, the GPUL’s work on behalf of those in need has literally touched thousands of lives around the city of Phoenix and surrounding areas. If you would like to learn more about GPUL and our programs and services, donate or join our organization, please call (602) 254-5611 or visit our Website http://www.gphxul.org.

Phoenix Suns Game Night Event on Dec. 23 a Slam Dunk for PhxSoul.com Group!

A group of 70 people joined PhxSoul.com for a FANtastic Game Night with the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat on Dec. 23!

We gathered in the Verve Lounge at the US Airways Center a few hours before the contest and enjoyed food and drinks while socializing with each other. Some of the attendees traveled from the Washington DC area, Kansas, Tucson and Sierra Vista!

After our Verve Lounge mixer, we made our way down to the court where we watched the Suns and Heat players warm up for an hour before the game. Many of our guests were thrilled to see LeBron James up-close and personal and eagerly pulled out their cameras. Our group was also greeted by the Arizona Republic's Phoenix Suns Beat Writer Paul Coro. 

Even though our hometown team lost, everyone to seemed to have a great time!

Big Thank Yous go to the Phoenix School of Law and Jermaine A. Southern, CPA, for serving as sponsors for both of our Game Nights in December!

PhxSoul.com also thanks Hairat Agbaje, Account Executive, for working so hard to make the Game Nights memorable for our group. I definitely did not make it easy for her but she handled all of the challenges with grace.

Enjoy our photo slideshow and look out for more PhxSoul.com events in 2011!

Arizonans' Voices Heard Loud and Clear During Busy Week of SB 1070 Protests

May 5 Rally Led by Rev. Al Sharpton Highlights Community Outcry Against New Law

Submitted by DaVaun Sanders

The groundswell against the unpopular Senate Bill 1070 increased to a fever pitch this week with community meetings and demonstrations to denounce the controversial Arizona law. Response to the state legislation, including a march on the state Capitol on Wednesday, has made one thing evident for Valley Hispanics opposing the law—they do not stand alone.

A prayer meeting and rally took place before the May 5 march at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. Faith leaders from houses of worship all across the Valley came out in force to show disapproval for the law, including the Arizona Ecumenical Council.

“Whenever there are laws that allow people to be discriminated against, I believe God stands in opposition to that law,” declared Bishop Alexis Thomas of Pilgrim Rest. “To our Latino brothers and sisters, this is not your fight—this is our fight.”

The rally also provided a forum for an impressive array of community organizations on hand to denounce SB 1070. Union leaders, a nonprofit coalition which included Chicanos Por La Causa, and several city officials shared disapproval and calls for action, while volunteers collected signed petitions and letters to the Oval Office.

The Reverend Al Sharpton delivered a stirring call to rally supporters, and marched on the capital with thousands of demonstrators.

“It is racial profiling, no matter how you cut it,” Reverend Sharpton stated. He also said that the law “robs the rights of legal citizens of Latino descent” despite that many have “fought wars and built schools” for their country.

“Now you want to pull them over on the side of the road and treat them like second class citizens?” he asked. Sharpton also reemphasized that he did not support the protest solely because racial profiling might occur amongst African Americans in Arizona as a result.  “If you open the door to a double standard for anybody, you open the door to a double standard for everybody.”

Councilman Michael Johnson captured the sentiment of the many local groups concerned about how SB 1070 may be put into practice and potentially abused. “This isn't just about immigration, it’s about freedom, it’s about justice, it’s about hope.”

Johnson is a veteran of the Phoenix Police Department who was subjected to excessive force by Phoenix police outside of his home in March.

“This isn't just about immigrants being taken off the street—it’s about 'who's next?' I tell you...if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.”

The march itself stretched for blocks through downtown Phoenix with a heavy police presence, halting
periodically to allow the light rail to pass safely. The peaceful demonstration mirrored the preceding rally, not only with its high energy, but through refreshing instances of Valley residents dismissing racial boundaries in support of a common cause.

Families made up a significant portion of the march, whether infants in strollers, wide-eyed toddlers or cell-phone toting teenagers. Mexican colors assuredly peeked from the crowd at regular intervals, but the majority of flags proudly waving from brown hands were red, white and blue.

The peculiar and rich stew that is American culture was on full display for the entire route, nearly three miles through the heart of Phoenix. Marchers belted out, “Obama, escucha estamos en la lucha!”, among other chants, and welcomed the added voices of whites, Asians, Native and African Americans in visible but no less energized pockets of supporters. Bells ringing from ice cream street carts mingled with whistles and drums—the overpass near the Arizona Science Center on Fifth Street offered a particularly deafening stretch of marching.

Messages on shirts and signs read “Am I Illegal?” and “Being Hispanic is Not A Crime.” Young men walked tall, some draped in American flags over anti Joe Arpaio t-shirts, or carrying spray painted banners of Aztec sun stones and wearing Phoenix Suns gear.

The Phoenix Suns sported controversial “Los Suns” jerseys during their victory Wednesday night at US Airways Center, (see Steve Nash's comments on the bill here.) Cries of “Lets Go Suns!” swelled among the rally chants as city workers and Fed-Ex employees watched from the sidewalk with camera phones, cheering marchers on.

President Obama added his voice to national displeasure over the law from a Cinco de Mayo reception at the Rose Garden. “Make no mistake, our immigration system is broken ... but we can’t start singling out people because of who they look like, or how they talk, or how they dress. We can’t turn law-abiding American citizens—and law-abiding immigrants—into subjects of suspicion and abuse. We can’t divide the American people that way. That’s not the answer. That’s not who we are as the United States of America.”

Joy Clayton is the owner of Bobby C's Lounge and Grille, a longtime favorite haunt in the Valley among African Americans. Patrons and workers at the establishment gathered outside to cheer while the protest streamed right past the downtown Phoenix restaurant's front door.

“Many of us were thinking this is just a Hispanic issue, Mexicans coming across the border, and it’s not,” she says.

Clayton herself attended the rally and march, which she feels gave her a much better understanding of the issues at stake.

“This is about everybody. Indiscriminate stopping will lend itself to various, serious problems that will affect all of us,” Clayton stated.

As Senate Bill 1070 continues to invoke sustained local protests and growing national outrage, a pivotal question arises: How long will Arizona legislators—such as Senator Russell Pearce—insist upon pushing such divisive measures?

Several national organizations have already chosen to move annual conferences—and revenue—out of state. With calls to boycott the 2011 MLB All Star game in Phoenix, and Luke's Air Force Base still lobbying for the F-35 Joint Strike Program, time will tell how deep SB 1070's claws are allowed to dig.

Valley Native Gets Redemption as Cal Poly Wins NCAA Championship

Submitted by Aneesah Nadir

After his second attempt at an NCAA Div II Championship Valley native Dahir Nasser gets his redemption!

The starting guard for the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos is elated on the 65-53 win over Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The win clinched the first national title in men's basketball in school history before a crowd of 3,672 fans at the MassMutual Center located in the birthplace of the game.

In a Boston Globe article Nasser said, "I remember the (CBS) camera was in my face. I guess that's what cameras do when guys hit shots on you."

It was one year ago that the Broncos lost in the NCAA title game, losing on a last-second, 3-pointer from  University of Findlay's Tyler Evans in overtime over Nasser's outstretched hands.

Returning to the MassMutual Center, Nasser was on a mission to get the win. He hit the first two shots of the game as Cal Poly catapulted to an 8-0 lead over Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

The victory was equal parts redemption and exorcism for the Broncos. As Cal Poly coach Greg Kamansky said, "Now the ghost of last year will never haunt us again."

The Broncos became the first unranked team to win the championship since North Alabama in 1979. They also became just the third school in history to lose a national title and win the following year.  Nasser receives an all tournament honors following the NCAA championship games.

Nasser who went to Scales Elementary School in Tempe started playing organized basketball with the Tempe Boys and Girls Club. As a chubby eighth grader, he went on to play for Madison One Junior High School. The Cal Poly starting 6'1" guard graduated from McClintock H.S. in 2006 and attended Phoenix College his freshman year. His family resides in Mesa and they are members of the Islamic Center of Tempe.

Coach Brian Fleming of Mountain Pointe High School was Nasser's coach at McClintock. He saw Nasser through his sophomore year when he tore his ACL and meniscus and was out for the season. Coach Fleming is thrilled about Nasser's win. Nasser is his first player to obtain a national title.

When asked about Phoenix, Nasser said, "I still consider Phoenix home. It helped make me who I am.  The opportunities I have I owe to people back home."
 
Background

As a McClintock Charger, class of 2006, Nasser was a four-year letter winner and team captain his junior and senior seasons. He earned all-state honors his senior season and averaged 17 points, five assists, five rebounds and two steals. Nasser was named all-city his junior and senior seasons, first-team all-region (senior) and second-team all-region (junior). He was also a two-time all-East Valley Tribune honoree.   

As one of the Phoenix College Bears, Nasser was the only freshman starter on the team that placed sixth at the National Junior College Tournament in Danville, Illinois. Nasser went on to play for Cuyamaca College in San Diego his sophomore year. At Cuyamaca, Nasser was the team captain averaging 16 points, four assists, four rebounds and 1.5 steals per game.

Nasser has been a team leader for Cuyamaca and for Cal Poly. 

"Leadership is a great experience for life and provides an opportunity to help people perform their best," said Nasser.

This season Nasser is an all-tournament and all-conference selection at the point guard position. He ranks 17th in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio and has started in all 59 games during his two-year career at Cal Poly Pomona.

Nasser, a senior at Cal Poly Pomona, is on track to graduate with his bachelor's degree in psychology in June. Future plans include the Masters/Ph.D. program in Psychology at University of LaVerne in California.

Visit CelebrityTheatre.com for Upcoming R&B, Soul, Jazz, Hip Hop and Comedy Shows in Phoenix

Visit CelebrityTheatre.com to find out about R&B, jazz and hip-hop concerts in the Phoenix area.

2/3 - "Young, Rich and Famous Tour" Brings the A-Town Experience to Phoenix

2/9 - Grown & Sexy Concert #5 Starring: Joe

4/27 - Wanda Sykes

The Celebrity Theatre is a legendary venue for R&B, soul, hip-hop, jazz artists and comedians. I saw my first-ever concert there - New Edition - when I was just 10 years old!

The Celebrity Theatre is located at 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix.

All shows and artists are subject to change without notice.

Future Stars Seeking Volunteers with Marketing, Fundraising Expertise

Future Stars, Inc. was created to help students reach their full potential in academics and athletics. The organization supports these students with mentoring, financial assistance, and most importantly school-related resources that have often been a stumbling block for school advancement.

Future Stars, Inc. is seeking volunteers for marketing and fundraising.

Please visit futurestarsaz.org to learn more about this organization.

Top 10 Observations about NBA All-Star Weekend 2009 in the Phoenix Area

Whew! The 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend circus has FINALLY ended in the Valley of the Sun!

I have to admit that it was really exciting to see the downtown Phoenix and Scottsdale streets, hotels, restaurants and other businesses jam-packed with black people from all over the country! And thank you to everyone in the Valley who told me that PhxSoul.com was their go-to spot for NBA party information! It made me feel good to know that PhxSoul.com helped you have a good time!

I hope this grand event gave downtown Phoenix the economic shot in the arm that it desperately needed!

For those who know me well, Mr. PhxSoul.com is a people-watcher! I love to watch people do what they do and I certainly saw A LOT of people do A LOT of interesting things! If you don't mind, I'd like to share my Top 10 Observations about the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend:

• Why did all of the event ticket prices have to be so expensive? We do realize that millions of people are jobless and the nation's economy is in the worst shape that it's been in decades, right?
• The police presence seemed to make a lot of African Americans in Phoenix and Scottsdale VERY uncomfortable! I understand why it was necessary to have more uniformed and undercover officers pounding the pavement. However, I have to wonder if it was necessary to make us feel as if we were Public Enemy #1!
• Speaking of the police, I can't tell you how many times I heard black people complaining about the racist treatment they received in Scottsdale. Many black people felt like they were NOT welcome! I can definitely understand African Americans' perception because my friend and I had our own negative experience with po-po! We got pulled over for a minor traffic infraction, but the cops treated us as if we committed a murder! The officer had a serious fire in his eyes when he screamed at my friend to "get out of the car!" He didn't ask my friend if he had been drinking, he straight up told my friend, "I know you've been drinking! Step out of the car now!" In the end, nothing bad happened to us and the cops became nicer, but somebody really needs to investigate how the Scottsdale task force deals with minorities!
• This weekend was not a good look for the Phoenix Suns organization. All the trade talk about Amar'e Stoudemire and the rumors about coach Terry Porter getting fired was extremely embarrassing.
• How many beautiful black women did we see this weekend? I know I saw some of God's best work ever created! Personally, I loved seeing the women who wore appealing and modest outfits instead of the ones who had all of the body parts hangin' out!
• On the other hand, I need to know what's up with this rooster-style hairstyle that black women were rockin' this weekend?
• When are the brothas gonna stop wearin' their sunglasses at night? Why do we have such a love affair with Swisher Sweets? And is it against the law for brothas to smile in public? The mean-muggin' was off tha charts!!
• Thanks to the party promoters who showed love to PhxSoul.com this All-Star Weekend. Serious shout-outs go to the "Welcome to the City Party" crew and Steve from 944 Magazine!
• Unfortunately, I re-learned one major lesson this weekend ... the doorman is the most powerful person at all nightclubs! I'm REALLY heated because I missed Common's performance at the 944 Magazine party! Why? I was stuck in line when his concert started! I knew the main promoter for the party but I didn't know the DOORMAN!! Oops!
• If you are a party promoter who asked to have your event featured on PhxSoul.com (for FREE) and failed to at least offer me tickets in appreciation ... SHAME ON YOU!! There's no way that I would have had time to hit EVERY event but for you to not even make an offer is just bad business and poor etiquette! But I thank you for promoting your events on PhxSoul.com!

Thanks to the NBA for bringing some serious excitement and controversy to the Valley of the Sun! We'll see you in another 15 years! Good luck to Dallas in 2010!

Head for the Mountains in the Phoenix Area! Go Hiking!

I love to have conversations with black people who are opposed to hiking.

• "Awww man, hiking is for white people!"
• "I don't hike because I don't want to get bitten by a rattlesnake!"
• "Have you seen all those rescues on the mountains because people passed out or got hurt? Naw son, hiking aint for me!"

C'mon now black people!

If you take the proper precautions and stay ON the hiking trails, nothing should go wrong!

The Valley is a mecca for hiking and I encourage African Americans to get in touch with their "inner-outdoorsman!"

Hiking is an excellent way to see nature!

Furthermore, we all know that hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure are major issues that affect the African American community. Exercise is one of the best ways for us to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Hiking is an exciting and effective way to stay in shape!

Let's get off the couch and head for the mountains!

Please be careful and do your research before hiking! It's important to stay hydrated, wear comfortable clothing and proper footwear, bring suntan lotion, etc., etc.

Here are some great hiking spots in the Valley:

• South Mountain
• Camelback Mountain
• North Mountain
• Papago Park
• Piestewa Park/Dreamy Draw
• White Tank Mountain Regional Park
• McDowell Mountain Regional Park 

If you know about other hiking spots, feel free to list them by clicking on the "Comments" link of this blog!

Happy Hiking!!