RUNNING TOWARD TOMORROW This snapshot from the early 1980s captures a sea of runners flooding Central Avenue during the Phoenix Marathon. While the mid-century skyline and vintage athletic gear anchor the photo in time, a subtle detail on the left edge tells a deeper story: the United Way fundraising thermometer, a visual marker of the community’s collective generosity. Decades later, the story has come full circle. Valley of the Sun United Way (followed soon by its iconic thermometer) now claims the revitalized Park Central as its permanent home. What was once a literal milestone along a race route will become a permanent cornerstone of the neighborhood. As United Way embarks on its second century of service, it remains a fixture in the Valley’s landscape, still moving Phoenix forward, step by step, right where the race once passed. Visit vsuw.org to learn more. LAST LOOK 80 | FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE

FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE | 81