This is a final reminder for those of you wanting to place a congratulatory ad for your favorite graduate. You need to do so by Friday, May 3. The annual Graduation special section will be distributed in The Times on Wednesday, May 23.

Cost of the ad is just $25. It measures 2.37 inches tall by 2.5 inches wide. Other sizes are available. For those rates, call Brent or John, 837-1925.

We are also selling space in the 2013-2014 Fountain Hills Community Guide. That publication will be distributed in June. Ad deadline is June 5th.

The Community Guide is a very useful publication for anyone who lives or does business in Fountain Hills. You can find out just about anything you need to know for relocating or visiting here. It can help you determine who to call for new hookup service, what to do if you are stung by a scorpion, where all of the restaurants are located, when the special events are held and a whole lot more. You should have a copy within close reach in your home or office. You never know when you might need some valuable information about a kind of service or business in the community.

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The River of Time staff is holding a Mother’s Day Raffle featuring items from three local artists as prizes.

Tickets are $2 each or three for $5. The drawing will be held in the Museum /Library lobby on Saturday, May 11, at 2 p.m.

Participants do not need to be present to win.

Prizes include an original oil painting titled “Cactus in bloom” by C. Kay Cummings; a screened silk scarf by Sally Atchinson; and the book “Vanishing Arizona by Martha Summerhayes.

All proceeds from the raffle will benefit the River of Time Museum.

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Look inside this week’s edition of The Times for the May issue of Let’s Go!

Editor Linda McThrall has put together another good issue that features the Butterfly Wonderland, scheduled to open May 25 at Talking Stick, 9500 E. Via de Ventura.

The attraction is the first of a planned complex that will have an aquarium, an IMAX theater, a Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum and a variety of retail shops and restaurants featuring international cuisine.

There is an update on northeast Valley theater company productions as well as library and senior center news.

Top it off with the Calendar and regular columns by Linda and comedian-attorney Bob Howard and you have another good issue of reading.

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I was sad to read about the passing of one of Fountain Hills’ greatest volunteers, Monie Vandervort.

Monie and I spent many hours in the community’s early years talking about ways to improve the School District.

He took on the challenge to raise money for the schools as his cause after retiring here in 1975 from Chicago, where he had been employed at one of the bigger national advertising firms as an account executive.

He worked tirelessly for the passage of bond elections to build many of the facilities in the district. The high school media center is dedicated in his honor.

He was among those selected as one of the town’s top 20 volunteers during the community’s 20th anniversary celebration in 1991. He was also among the first group of inductees into the Lower Verde Valley Hall of Fame in 2004.

Thanks Monie, for all you did for Fountain Hills.