8 | FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE For treasured holiday recipes, go to page 33. Judy Pearson (right) discussed her latest biography with Emmy-winning journalist Olivia Fierro at a recent book-signing event. As the season of celebrations approaches, I hope you’ll have plenty of these warm moments yourself. And I hope you enjoy these stories of fascinating people in our Valley who remain relentlessly optimistic as they move forward with their good work. People like the Cullum family, the hardworking team behind Cullum Homes; George Abrams, who focuses on the joy — and details — of professional event planning; and Mary Kim Titla, the unstoppable former anchorwoman who now leads UNITY. I’m also enamored with the cheery options in our lifestyle coverage. From Kitchen Doors, which extols the wonders of the food board, to Style Unlocked, which curates perfect outfits and gifts, there are lots of ways to slow down and savor the season. Happy holidays! The calendar may have said September, but it felt like December on a recent Thursday morning in Arcadia. The house brimmed with excitement as ladies donned in festive sweaters proudly arranged their dishes on the buffet. These active Valley women shared their secrets for making holiday memories — in the form of forking over their favorite family recipes. Speaking of families, the Frontdoors family felt a similar warm feeling just a week earlier, when our contributing writer Judy Pearson appeared at a local book signing. There to promote her new — and fifth! — book, “Crusade to Heal America,” she shared tidbits about the fascinating life of Mary Lasker. Credited with bringing the first Chagall exhibition to the U.S., tulips to Park Avenue, and needed dollars to cancer research, Lasker was a Renaissance woman who embodied grace, persistence and smarts — a lot like Judy herself. As the Frontdoors team cheered her success, the fond feelings that united us felt as real as any family celebration. EDITOR’S NOTE KAREN WERNER EDITOR IN CHIEF Karen It’s Beginning to Look a Lot...

Celebrating 25 years of helping foster youth Learn more at azdor.gov/tax-credits. This year, the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust is celebrating 25 years of community grantmaking and helping foster youth in Arizona. There are close to 14,000 children in foster care in Arizona and only 3,000 licensed foster families to care for them. Besides supporting basic needs of foster youth, organizations like Child Crisis Arizona, Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona and The Center for the Rights of Abused Children provide transformative programs, supportive mentors and critical legal protection for abused and neglected children in foster care. These are some of the many qualifying organizations you can direct your state tax dollars to through the Arizona Foster Care Tax Credit. You may be able to claim a credit of up to $1,173 by donating to any organization below. Aid to Adoption of Special Kids Arizona Association for Foster and Adoptive Parents Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation Arizona Helping Hands Arizonans for Children, Inc. Center for the Rights of Abused Children Child Crisis Arizona Florence Crittenton Services of Arizona Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona Helen’s Hope Chest ninapulliamtrust.org