Home sweet home

    When most people think of the state of Arizona they think heat and desert but when I think of Arizona I think of “Home Sweet Home.” Founded in 1891 by Dr. Alexander Chandler, the city of Chandler is where I have called home since birth. The reason I love Chandler is because of all the history that you see here everyday. When you come to this city, you get such a diverse community of people that all call this same place home!

 

    Originating for agricultural purposes, Chandler is now an array of things. Even out-of-towners may have heard of the famous Ostrich Festival taking place every March filled with Ostrich runs, rides, games and many other attractions. It is not only Arizona’s premier family fun festival, but also a remembrance of the cities origination. During the 1900’s Chandler was filled with Ostrich Farms catering to the demand for Plumes during that era.

 

    Don’t get the wrong idea about the city though; we aren’t all a bunch of hicks living in the past. Now home to more then 176,581 people Chandler is more then helping the growth of the rising Phoenix area by being named one of the fastest growing cities in America by the 2000 census. With a 1.3 million sq. foot mall incorporating more then 180 shops and restaurants we can almost ensure that you won’t be bored here. Even if shopping is not your thing, with the nearby resorts, golf courses and parks Chandler has something for everyone’s liking.

 

    Thinking of moving? Well, whether you are a football fan or an education-oriented person, with the wonderful Chandler Unified School District you will not be disappointed. Once home to Redskins football player Adam Archuleta; Chandler High School, Home of the Wolves, and an NCA accredited A+ School, originally built in 1912 is sure to please! With 94 graduating classes and a staff of 160, your child is ensured not to be left behind. Or maybe you are thinking higher like Arizona State University established in 1885 with a current enrollment of 61,033 students and quoted as “academically, a rising star in the world of research,” by the Princeton Review’s 2006 edition of “The Best 361 Colleges.” With more then 1 million sq. feet of research space, you or your children can find anything to study.

 

    Contributing to the success and high population of the city of Chandler could be the growing rate of the high-tech job industry. Who wouldn’t want to work in a multi-million dollar corporation like Intel, and award-winning company listed in “Best Companies to Work For” by Fortune Magazine? Or, how about Microchip who just announced record net sales and net income for their first quarter fiscal year 2007?

 

    Even with all the attractions and the money to be made here, I think, the best part about Chandler is the people. Throughout the rapid growth of the city, it has retained its “small town values” which is hard to do. We have some of the best people in all of America and that is something to be proud of. Someone once said to me “I have never met a kinder community of people then the ones that I have met here today” and I agree. When something happens in our community, everyone is here to help and I know that from personal experience. In March of 2004, five of us girls took a trip to Lake Havasu when on the way home in Bouse, Arizona tragedy struck and a Chandler High student was pronounced dead on the scene. As soon as the news hit Chandler, there was a tremendous outpour of helping hands from people who had never met us before, just looking to donate their money and time. That to me is a magnificent city!

 

    I love how I can drive down the street and almost every couple of miles find a Goodwill donation outlet. It’s good to see the wealthier people sharing their benefits with the people in our city who need it. The people of Chandler and all across Arizona know that when everyone works together, that is what makes a community strong.