Click on the flyers below for printable copies!
Modified Motorcycle Association hosts combination motorcycle and classic car show
The Modified Motorcycle Association, also known as the MMA has a new district here in Arizona, called the Superstition District, and they are jumping right in to start raising money for MMA’s mission and for Arizona StandDown (www.arizonastanddown.org), a veteran-oriented non-profit.
They are hosting a show called the ‘MMA Motorcycle & Classic Car Show’ on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017 from 9:00am to 1:00pm at Mesa Market Place Swap Meet, at the intersection of Signal Butte Rd. and East Baseline Rd. in Mesa, AZ. It is designed to be a family and community event.
Both the MMA and Arizona StandDown are non-profit organizations. Arizona StandDown will receive 20% of all the show’s proceeds with the MMA receiving 80%.
The MMA is not just a riding group like so many others but has serious and substantial safety and educational goals. The MMA teaches education of drivers toward awareness of motorcycles, motorcycle safety and the group has their own legislative action committee.
They even have a successful outreach campaign to educate school children about motorcycle safety because the MMA is a member of AMSAF, the Arizona Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Federation (amsaf.org).
Their website is http://mma-az.org where you’ll find more information. The Arizona branch of the MMA also has four other districts: the Eagle/Leather District, the Rim Country District, the Verde Valley District, and the White Mountain District.
All of MMA’s districts will participate in the Superstition District’s October 7st Motorcycle & Classic Car Show, so there will be quite a few motorcycles and trikes at this show.
Each vehicle will have a collection bin in front of them. The goal of the show is to collect as much money because the ten vehicles that collect the most money will win engraved remembrances.
“We expect more than 200 motorcycles, vintage, classic, and modified cars and trucks to participate in the hope that enthusiasts will stuff dollar bills into money bins set in front of each vehicle,” said Dawn Kackley, MMA, Superstition District’s Show Director.
Exhibitors are even encouraged to solicit votes (money) before the car show begins. The goals of the show are straight forward: to get together with other aficionados, to have a good time, and to raise as much money as possible for the MMA and for Arizona StandDown. It’s all in good fun because 100% of the money the vehicles raise will be donated to these non-profit organizations.
And there will be a real treat for military collectors at the show, too. Dr. Baron Smith is bringing in his Vietnam era helicopter (1970), a Series III OH-6A Hardbelly and a ‘Deucy’ M35 triple-axle 2 ½ ton cargo truck.
There is a $20. charge per vehicle to register to exhibit ($25.for registering after September 29, 2017.) Special accommodations can be made if entire car clubs or motorcycle clubs want to exhibit in a group together.
So if you have a vehicle you’d like to enter, big or little, no matter how many tires, you can get more information by contacting Dawn Kackley: 480-213-1184 and soloridergal@aol.com. Information will also be available at www.mesamarket.com.
The event is free to the public (except for donations they choose to make.) Parking and admission is always free at the Mesa Market Place.
The event runs from 9:00am to 1:00pm. Mesa Market Place is open 7am to 4pm Signal Butte & Hwy 60. 10550 E. Baseline Rd. Mesa. 480.380.5572. www.mesamarket.com.
Saturday, October 28, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.:
A free family event: Safe Haven Trick or Treating at the Mesa Market Place Swap Meet!
Bring all your ghosts and goblins in costume and let then trick or treat their way through 1600 booths starting at the Food Court! Trick or Treaters will each get a trick or treat bag and will enjoy contests, surprises and treats throughout the day.
Entertainer Linda Keith will be in the Food Court creating fun for Trick or Treaters and parents, alike. She’ll deliver music, dancing, free goody bags, contests from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Merchants join in the festivities, too, by offering up candy, treats, and toys! “We have 900 merchants stocking 1600 shop spaces! I think this is the biggest daylight trick or treat event in the state of Arizona,” said Joan Wells, Market Place event organizer.
Both young people and their parents are also invited to color pictures and write notes to be included in Care Packages destined to go to Armed Forces personnel stationed in the Middle East. Packages From Home (www.packagesfromhome.org) sends out thousands of Care Packages annually, and insists that each package has a handwritten note or colored picture inside. Each artist and note-writer will get an ice cream sandwich.
The Mesa Market Place is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and is at 10550 E. Baseline Rd., Mesa, AZ 85209, at exit 193 Signal Butte Rd. and Hwy 60. Info: 480-380-5572 and www.mesamarket.com. Fully handicapped accessible. Free parking, admission, and entertainment.
Nancy Fassbender shows the cover of her book, ‘My Fallen Hero.’ which tells the stories of Pinal County veterans who died in combat. On the table is the notebook in which she first kept the stories.
Author Nancy Fassbender will be in the Mesa Market Place Food Court on Saturday, November 4, from 8am to 1pm. She would love to meet local veterans, and will be signing her book, ‘My Fallen Hero.’ Please plan on stopping by to meet her.
Here is an article written about Nancy Fassbender:
Author Nancy Fassbender honors Pinal veterans killed in combat
(This article was written by Bill Coates at bccoates@cox.net. Published in ‘Pinal Central’ www.pinalcentral.com)
GOLD CANYON — Nancy Fassbender placed a three-ring binder on her kitchen table. Between the covers were some 70 stories about sacrifice.
All are different. But all have two elements. The people behind the stories have a connection to Pinal County. And all died in combat.
Fassbender, 63, spent three years researching and writing their stories.
“I’d get up every morning to do this,” she said. “Three o’clock was really not uncommon, because it’s quiet. Nothing but solitude.”
These are, after all, stories calling for quiet reflection. Stories about men — they are all men — who died for their country. You can debate if they died in a Good War. Or an unpopular war. But all died on our behalf.
Quiet reflection, though, doesn’t call for a funeral march. The stories in Fassbender’s binder aren’t meant to be read with “Taps” playing in the background. They’re one- and two-page biographies filled with courage, chance or even a bit of humor. The story of Mathew Juan has all three.
He was born in Sacaton. Still a teen, he left his home to join the circus. Soon after, the Great War had erupted in Europe. Now it’s known as World War I. By 1917, America had been drawn into it.
Young men were being drafted. But Juan had an out. He was a member of the Gila River Indian Community. And, at the time, Indians were exempt from the draft.
The rule didn’t always work in practice.
“Walking down the street in Wichita Falls, Texas, he was arrested for not having a draft registration card,” Fassbender said.
He didn’t fight it. He joined the Army instead. He lied about his age and changed his name to Mathew Bennett Rivers. He sent a postcard to his parents. He shipped out on the Tuscania, bound for France. It was sunk by a German U-boat.
More than 200 American soldiers were killed. Juan survived. He ended up in the first American attack on German territory. Machine-gun fire ended his life as he charged a stronghold.
He was awarded the Silver Star.
Judging by its cover, the binder could be mistaken for a dry report. It’s not. It’s a work of care and compassion.
“I gave my heart and soul to this,” Fassbender said.
That’s probably something she hadn’t anticipated. She started out compiling names and stories as part of a simple research project for the Pinal County Veterans Memorial Foundation.
The foundation was set up to raise money for a memorial to fallen veterans from Pinal County. It has some $95,000 in the bank. Another $5,000 and it can break ground. The city of Casa Grande has already donated the land, a parcel at Ed Hooper Rodeo Park.
Fassbender got involved in 2010. She was living at Sunscape RV Resort in Eleven Mile Corner. A retired accountant, she had moved there from Nebraska. She had a personal connection to veterans. She served in the 1970s as a helicopter mechanic in the Nebraska Army National Guard.
At Sunscape, she delved into her family tree. Her research led to a book and CDs. It was thorough and engaging. And it came to the attention of the Sunscape manager.
He told her about the memorial foundation. He said they needed somebody to research the county’s fallen veterans. She was glad to do it. She started out with a bare list of names. Some misspelled. Many omitted.
Fassbender took to the internet. The library. Old newspaper clippings. She spoke to relatives and friends of the fallen if she could locate them.
Her research led to William Wesley Patterson. Patterson was killed by a sniper in Vietnam. It was 1967. He was an 18-year-old Marine.
He never knew his son, conceived before he shipped out. The son was adopted. He became a Marine himself. His adoptive father was a Marine. Fassbender’s research had completed the circle.
Over time, Fassbender shared some of her stories with me as well — stories that led to columns.
I wrote about Billy Swearengin, a navigator in World War II. Swearengin was killed when his plane went down over Germany, just weeks before the war’s end.
Fassbender put me in touch with Billy’s brother Max. He told me about Billy and their time together. Max died in November, months after I spoke to him.
I wrote about John Michael Turner, thanks to Fassbender. He was killed in Vietnam. I spoke to Turner’s father, a retired Army colonel. Fassbender made it all possible.
But that’s just the tip. The rest of the iceberg lies in Fassbender’s binder. Flip to any page and you’ll find a story worth your time.
Sgt. Katsumi Leonard Takasugi fought in World War II.
Before heading off to combat, he visited his family. Like many Japanese-Americans, they had been relocated to an internment camp. The Gila River reservation in their case. Takasugi noted the irony. He wore the same uniform as the soldiers guarding his parents.
Though from California, Takasugi enlisted in Pinal County. That met one requirement for inclusion in Fassbender’s binder. He met the other fighting in Italy, where he was killed.
He’s among 20 WWII heroes in the narrative. Other wars had their own fallen heroes. WWI, four; Korea, five; Vietnam, 35; Iraq and Desert Storm, three.
Their names will be etched on the memorial’s wall. So will many others whose stories Fassbender didn’t tell. It wasn’t for want of trying.
“I researched over 250 names,” she said.
She simply couldn’t find information on many of them. The further back, the harder it was. For WWII, the wall has many more names than stories — 109 in all. For Vietnam, it will have 37. Fassbender was able to write about all but two.
Added up, the stories would fill a book. And, in fact, a book is in the works.
“My Fallen Hero” by Nancy Fassbender will be out in February. Other war stories — beyond those of the fallen — will share the pages. Fassbender writes about the Great Escape from a German POW camp. Dogs and pigeons in war. And the Monopoly game’s role in combat.
Proceeds from the book’s sale will benefit the veterans memorial.
Fassbender will be at the Mesa Market Place to sign copies.
For more information, query the memorial foundation at info@pcvmf.org or visit its website at www.pcvmf.org.
Veterans Day Remembrance, Saturday, November 4, at the Mesa Market Place Swap Meet
The public is invited to attend a Veterans Day Remembrance at the Mesa Market Place Swap Meet Saturday, November 4 at 11:30 a.m. The Motorcycle Color Guard of America will begin the remembrance by presenting the American flag, and will also honor veterans in the audience by presenting flags for the five branches of the Armed Forces.
The Patriot Youth Corps will remember those who gave their lives by performing the Salt Ceremony.
Local author, Nancy Fassbender will share information about her book, My Fallen Hero, which tells the stories of Pinal County veterans who died in combat. She will also autograph books she sells.
Before and after the remembrance, adults and children are invited to write notes and color pictures to go into ‘Packages From Home’ care packages.
The Mesa Market Place is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and is at 10550 E. Baseline Rd., Mesa, AZ 85209, at exit 193 Signal Butte Rd. and Hwy 60. Info: 480-380-5572 and www.mesamarket.com. Fully handicapped accessible. Free Parking, admission, and entertainment.
The public is invited to attend a Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance at the Mesa Market Place Swap Meet Saturday, December 2 at 11:30 a.m. in the stage area of the Food Court.
Cord Price will sing the National Anthem, and other songs.
The Patriot Youth Corps will remember those who gave their lives by performing the Salt and Wounded Warrior ceremonies.
Author Nancy Fassbender will speak about U.S. Navy Ensign George Hellworth Gilbert, who served and lost his life serving on the USS California, during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Nancy Fassbender penned, ‘My Fallen Hero,’ about Pinal County service people who gave their lives in wars and conflicts to protect our freedoms.
Precious few who survived attack Pearl Harbor Sunday morning, December 7, 1941 are left. Our World War II and Korean War veterans have long advocated for better care for more recent veterans through lobbying and service organizations like the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the American Legion, the VFW, and even the Veterans Administration.
And the Vietnam Veteran, who was shunned in the 1960’s and 1970’s by the public, is an advocacy powerhouse, partnering with Korean War Veterans to insure that Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans are cared for and honored properly, something denied to them.
This remembrance is not only to remember the 3,581 service people who died or were wounded because of the attack on Pearl Harbor, it is a tribute to the continuing sacrifices made by surviving Veterans and their families to insure that the returning veteran is supported and has an honored place at the American table.
Before and after the remembrance, adults and children are invited to write notes and color pictures to go into ‘Packages From Home’ care packages.
The Mesa Market Place is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and is at 10550 E. Baseline Rd., Mesa, AZ 85209, at exit 193 Signal Butte Rd. and Hwy 60. Info: 480-380-5572 and www.mesamarket.com. Fully handicapped accessible. Free Parking, admission, and entertainment.
Vietnam Veteran Remembrance, Saturday, March 17, at the Mesa Market Place Swap Meet
The public is invited to attend a Vietnam Veteran Remembrance at the Mesa Market Place Swap Meet Saturday, March 17 at 11 a.m. in the stage area of the Food Court.
The Motorcycle Color Guard of America will begin the remembrance. by presenting the American flag, and will also honor veterans in the audience by presenting flags for the five branches of the Armed Forces and the POW MIA flag.
Keven Moen will sing the National Anthem, and other songs.
The Patriot Youth Corps will remember those who gave their lives by performing the Salt and Wounded Warrior ceremonies.
Army Medic, Chuck Byers will ‘Welcome Home’ fellow Vietnam Veterans, will share his tour in Vietnam and reflect on the faithfulness of Vietnam-deployed troops to their mission and to one another.
The Arizona Military Museum will set up a display of Vietnam-era militaria for this event. The museum is located at Papago, at the Arizona National Guard base at 52nd St. and McDowell Rd In Phoenix. It is run by the Arizona National Guard Historical Society
The Vietnam Veteran, who was shunned in the 1960’s and 1970’s by the public, is an advocacy powerhouse today, partnering with Korean War Veterans to ensure that Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans are cared for and honored properly, something denied to them.
This remembrance is not only to remember the more than 58,000 service people who died, it is a tribute to the continuing sacrifices made by surviving Veterans and their families to ensure that the returning veteran is supported and has an honored place at the American table.
Before and after the remembrance, adults and children are invited to write notes and color pictures to go into ‘Packages From Home’ care packages that will be sent to Armed Forces personnel serving in the Middle East.
The Mesa Market Place is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and is at 10550 E. Baseline Rd., Mesa, AZ 85209, at exit 193 Signal Butte Rd. and Hwy 60. Info: 480-380-5572 and www.mesamarket.com. Fully handicapped accessible. Free Parking, admission, and entertainment
Come celebrate Easter with us on Saturday, March 31, from 10am to 2pm. Lots of fun for everyone, especially families and young folks!
Come get your face painted, get a balloon made into a magical creature, Drawings, too!
Everyone will be able to color pictures, too, for care packages that will go to soldiers serving overseas in the Middle East.
The Mesa Market Place is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and is at 10550 E. Baseline Rd., Mesa, AZ 85209, at exit 193 Signal Butte Rd. and Hwy 60. Info: 480-380-5572 and 
www.mesamarket.com. Fully handicapped accessible. Free Parking, admission, and entertainment
Click here for a printable FoEver Here Car Show Flyer.
(Printable Registration Form at the bottom)
Head over to Mesa Market Place on Saturday, April 7 for the FoEver Here Charity Car Show! You’ll see hundreds of vehicles in all their glory, and you’ll support the mission of FoEver Here, too!
Each vehicle will have a donation pot in front of it. When you like a vehicle, drop money into the pot. At the end of the day, the vehicle collecting the most money wins First Place! It’s that easy! You can do good and have fun at the same time!
You’ll help raise money to support funeral costs when a young person dies. Families are often not prepared when a youngster dies.
You can get more info, flyers, and the registration form at https://
This Show benefits the mission of FoEver Here, Inc. 100% of the proceeds of this show go to help Parents who have lost a child 21 yrs. old and younger with funeral, burial and other related services. For more info contact Tish Woods, FoEver Here, Inc. at 480-246-4954, FoEverHere@gmail.com.
Celebrate Mother’s Day at Mesa Market Place on Saturday, May 12
from 8am to 1pm in the Food Court!
Enter to win a prize for Mom:
-Faith Hill/ Tim McGraw concert tickets for two
-Dolly Steamboat passes
-Desert Belle passes with live performances from The Southwest
Surfers
-Harkins Movie Passes
-Market Money
-and Merchant Gift Certificates!
And… be sure to bring the whole family! Kids are invited to paint a
rock as a gift for their Mom!
Cord Price will entertain!
Mama’s Desert Bazaar will be going on, also!
Date: Saturday May 12th 2018
Time: 8 a.m.- 1 p.m.
Where: Mesa Market Place
10550 E. Baseline Rd
Mesa, AZ 85209
Independence Event at Mesa Market Place, Saturday, June 30, from 9am to Noon
You’re invited to attend our Independence Event at the Mesa Market Place Swap Meet Saturday, June 30 from 9:00 a.m. until Noon. The event will take on Row C, just behind the Food Court.
If you stop by the event for no other reason, make sure you enter to win Keith Urban Concert tickets! Enter to win by Noon!
It will be an action-packed event. Children’s events will run from 9:00 a.m. until Noon. Everyone will want to jump into the Epic Game Trailer!
The Epic Game Trailer holds up to sixteen players inside and four outside. That’s five high def TVs in all. The video game party comes fully equipped with seat rumblers, LED lights, lasers and disco balls. They’re equipped with Xbox 360s, Xbox One, Wii and Wii U. … Lots of games, too!
There will also be lots of face painting, balloon art, coloring, drawing and note-writing, for both kids and grownups.
The Arizona Army National Guard, Mesa Police Department, and Mesa Fire Department will also exhibit equipment.
There will be a craft table and Amber will help kids and grownups make some fun crafts.
Kids and grownups will also be able to color pictures and write notes to Armed Forces Personnel serving in the Middle East.
Here’s what will happen to all the colored pictures and notes that will be created at this event: Packages From Home sends thousands of care packages to military personnel serving in the Middle East every year, and will not send a package out without including a personal note or picture in it.
All of your creations will be delivered to them to remind our active duty Armed Forces personnel that they are remembered and are appreciated. Many of them are parents, and it means a lot to them to get an original piece of art from a young person. For more information about Packages From Home, go to www.packagesfromhome.org.
Mesa Market Place is open Saturdays and Sundays, 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and is located at 10550 E. Baseline Rd., Mesa, AZ 85209, at exit 193 Signal Butte Rd. and Hwy 60. Info: 480-380-5572 and www.mesamarket.com. Fully handicapped accessible. Free Parking, admission, and entertainment.
