At over 145 square miles, Mesquite is the largest of Peoria’s six council districts. It encompasses Lake Pleasant Regional Park as well as numerous schools, parks, commercial, and residential developments, including the Vistancia community. Here’s the latest news from Councilmember Bridget Binsbacher, who represents the Mesquite district.

Honoring Our Veterans
Arizona has a long history involving the United States military and service members beginning before statehood. With the significant installations and missions at Luke Air Force Base and other bases around the state, major employers and manufacturing moved to the area. Our Peoria community has benefited from the Luke AFB operations and the many veterans who have chosen to live and retire here.

Each November 11, on Veterans Day, we can express our gratitude to veterans who have honorably served their country in war or peacetime. Honoring our veterans is something that the City of Peoria and I feel very strongly about.

In the Mesquite District, we are very fortunate to have many wonderful volunteers who work tirelessly to honor and assist our veterans. There are two groups that I want to recognize for their significant efforts – Trilogy Veterans Club (TVC) and Veterans Furniture Center (VFC).

The TVC is a fantastic group of residents that provide support to military veterans in need. Their mission is to engage military veterans, cultivate fellowship, create missions and opportunities that support military veterans in need, and undertake support for charitable and social events. This is done through support of various nonprofits, including Veterans First Limited, which is focused on providing resources and assistance for homeless women veterans.

TVC also supports the St. Mary’s Food Bank, which distributes food to hundreds of nonprofit partners through most of Arizona. Club members work either in the pantry (preparing baskets of food to be delivered curbside), or the warehouse (sorting and stocking donated food items). In addition, the TVC works with MANA (Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force) House with what the club calls, “Totes for Troops.” Several totes are loaded with such things as coffee tins, shower curtains, combination locks, laundry detergent, bottled water, etc., and delivered to MANA House for use by military veterans in need. If you live in the Vistancia area, you may have also seen this group hard at work keeping the community litter free due to their involvement in the Adopt-a-Street program.

The VFC is a wonderful local nonprofit comprised of residents in the Northwest Valley that serves our veterans. This organization is working to end veteran homelessness and provides much needed new furniture and household goods for veterans transitioning into homes from being homeless. Since the VFC was founded, they have helped more than 2,700 veterans. Over 300 veterans were given a new lease on life as they moved into permanent housing. The VFC delivers more than furniture, they deliver hope. It is given as a gift, from veterans to a fellow veteran in need. The message is clear: someone cares, someone is offering a hand up, and someone has their back. It is not a government agency or an entitlement. It is fellow veterans who believe in them and want them to successfully return to society.

In addition to these two incredible organizations, we are fortunate to have many nonprofits supporting our veterans with workforce programs, education, housing, and more. I hope every Peoria resident will consider lending their time, talent, or treasure to honor the service of our veterans.

What would you like to see in your community?
If there is something you would like to see in our district, or if you have any concerns, I want to know. Contact me directly at 623-773-7306 or [email protected]. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter and sign up for my e-newsletter on the Mesquite District page on peoriaaz.gov. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.

Holiday Trash Collection
• Veterans Day Thursday, November 11
Thursday collection is moved to Friday, November 12
Friday collection is moved to Saturday, November 13

• Thanksgiving Day Thursday, November 25
Thursday collection is moved to Friday, November 26
Friday collection is moved to Saturday, November 27